


Indirect Kiss

by triste



Category: Bleach
Genre: Angst, Drabble Collection, Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-21
Updated: 2012-11-21
Packaged: 2017-11-19 05:15:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 54,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/569512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/triste/pseuds/triste
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stalking and spying were two of the things Ishida Uryuu did best.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

Written for the 30 Kisses LJ community

Title: Wake-Up Call  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Themes used: #12 (in a good mood) and #21 (violence)

~~

Kurosaki Isshin was in such a good mood that it took a lot of effort to keep himself from whistling under his breath as he set about ticking off the first item on his list of things to do. He was at his most cheerful right after he'd just woken up, but he reminded himself that stealth and silence were of the utmost importance as he padded down the hallway on his way to room number fifteen.

His first task of the day was to wake his lazy, good for nothing, delinquent son.

Of course, he wouldn't *just* be providing Ichigo with his usual wake-up call. While Ichigo saw it as nothing other than annoying, Isshin saw it as a highly effective training technique. Most fathers would never have even contemplated attacking their teenage sons during their sleep, but Kurosaki Isshin believed that Ichigo's quick reflexes were all thanks to him. After all, how could people expect to throw themselves from the path of an oncoming bus if their responses were slow and delayed? Ichigo ought to have been *thankful* to receive such useful lessons!

Instead, he'd yell and scream and call Isshin all kinds of rude names, but Isshin refused to think of his son as being ungrateful. He merely blamed Ichigo's temper on those nasty teenage hormones. After all, Ichigo was at a very delicate stage in his life, which was why Isshin intended to teach him everything he could before his baby boy turned into a manly man.

It was all for Ichigo's sake, Isshin told himself as he carefully opened the bedroom door, again making sure to keep any kind of noise to a minimum. He could hear the sound of deep, even breathing, and his eyes gave an unholy glint when he caught sight of the perfectly still figure huddled under the sheets.

Isshin had to be cautious, just in case Ichigo had decided to plan something himself in advance and catch him unaware before he could even begin his attack. Ichigo seemed to be fast asleep, though, and Isshin grinned to himself devilishly. As usual, this was going to require a fine blend of cunning and extreme violence...

"GOOD MOOORNIIING, ICHI-"

Before he could either finish his greeting or launch himself at his defenceless son, Isshin stopped dead in his tracks when he saw that Ichigo wasn't alone in his bed. He hadn't noticed before from where he'd been standing in the doorway, but what he'd thought to be one figure had actually turned out to be two.

Well, this was a novel experience. He'd never barged in Ichigo's bedroom to find him curled up against some unfamiliar dark-haired boy before. It was far too late for him to start asking questions, however, because Ichigo was now awake and looking absolutely murderous.

"What the Hell are you doing in here, you freak?!" he squawked, hurriedly sitting up and bunching the covers against his chest. "How many times have I told you to knock before you come in?"

Isshin could only stare as the other boy shifted at Ichigo's side, rubbing his eyes and pushing himself up groggily. "What is it, Kurosaki? Are we late for school?"

Then he looked over at Isshin and squinted in surprise. Isshin found himself squinting a little, too.

"Do I know you?" he asked, scratching his chin.

"I... I don't believe we've met," the boy replied, somewhat nervously.

"Then allow me to introduce myself," Isshin said jovially as he offered out his hand. "My name is-"

"This isn't the time for introductions!" Ichigo snarled. "Just get the Hell out!"

"Be quiet, son, I'm making a good impression here!"

"I said get *lost*!!"

Before Isshin could scold his son for being so rude, however, a pair of glasses smacked him right in the face. That confused him. Since when had Ichigo ever needed glasses?

"Dammit, Kurosaki, don't throw *those*! I need them!"

"Shut up! I had to throw *something* at him!"

Isshin was hurt. This was the thanks that he got for showing off his manners?

"I'm warning you, you stupid old man, if you don't leave right now, I'll kick your ass!"

Isshin opened his mouth to say something in response and found himself being smacked in the face yet again, this time by a tube of lubricant.

"You shouldn't be throwing that, either, Kurosaki!"

"I said shut up! I'll keep on throwing stuff until this idiot leaves!"

But Isshin had no intention of going away. He wanted answers.

What he got was another random object heading straight in his direction. This time it was a stuffed lion. It emitted a very life-like shriek when Ichigo sent it hurtling over to his father, but did very little damage when it hit him on the nose.

The wheels in Isshin's brain were turning furiously as he worked on putting all the pieces together. Glasses... lubricant... and a plush toy. It all had to add up to *something*... but what?

And then, it suddenly clicked.

Before he could voice his suspicions, however, Ichigo had thrown yet another random object at him, and this time, Isshin didn't see what was coming until it was far too late...

~~

"I really don't think you should have hit him with the bedside lamp, Kurosaki."

"It's fine, isn't it? Besides, I didn't have a choice. I had to knock him out."

Ishida stared dubiously at Isshin's unconscious form as he and Ichigo got dressed. "If you say so. I still wish that our first meeting could have gone a *little* better, though."

"Stop worrying so much," Ichigo told him as he slung his book bag over his shoulder, pausing to give Ishida what he hoped was a reassuring kiss. "There won't be any lasting damage. Just trust me on this one."

"I guess we should have thought to lock the door last night."

"It wouldn't have made a difference. If I locked it, then he would have either kicked it down or broken in through the window to get at me."

"Your father is a very... interesting man."

"He's a retard. That's why I wanted to do this at your place, not mine."

"Well, at least he knows about us now. It saves us the trouble of telling him outright."

"That's true. Forget about him already. Let's eat breakfast."

 

End.


	2. Two

Title: Indirect Kiss  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Mild shounen ai hints  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #1 (Look over here)

~~

It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the breeze is blowing... in short, the weather is perfect. Or so Uryuu thinks to himself as he sits on his little patch of grass and works serenely at his newest embroidery pattern. Occasionally, he'll take a break to observe his fellow classmates, ignoring the dirty looks Kagine-sensei keeps throwing at him.

Uryuu never takes part in P.E if he can help it. All that running around is undignified, not to mention tiring and pointless. He's never been a very energetic person, and rather than forcing him onto the field with threats, Kagine-sensei had merely shrugged his shoulders and said something about not needing a weakling slowing his class down anyway.

Usually, Uryuu hates being thought of as weak, but he isn't offended by Kagine-sensei's disdain. He still considers himself to be a superior human being. He may not be able to lift his own weight on a bench press, but there are still plenty of other things that he can do instead. Besides, he's always preferred having brains over brawn.

And so, Uryuu sits and watches while the rest of his fellow pupils sweat. As usual, Kagine-sensei goes easy on the girls. They're off in a corner of the court, playing volleyball. The guys are being kept busy by running laps, and Kagine-sensei watches them like a hawk, ready to come down with full force if one of them shows any sign of slacking. So far, he's yelled at five separate boys for being distracted every time they jog past the girls.

The weather is warmer lately, so everyone is wearing the summer uniform. They all wear the school's official blue and white tee shirts, but while the boys complete their outfits with shorts, the girls have bloomers. Uryuu himself couldn't care less if they were in bloomers or ra-ra skirts, but most of the other guys in his class seem to enjoy getting as close a peek as they can dare.

Inoue-san is the one they tend to pay attention to, of course, but to the average horny high school boy, all females are interesting at this sensitive stage of their lives. Uryuu can only pity them. He's never had any interest in the opposite sex, romantically speaking. Oh, he enjoys being with girls, and he enjoys talking with them. He's just never been attracted to any of them before.

There is one person he takes an interest in, though, and that's Kurosaki Ichigo. Kurosaki has always stood out, and not just because of his eye-catching hair colour. To Uryuu, Kurosaki is worthy of a number of things. He's worthy of being a rival, obviously, but he's also worthy of being a comrade. More importantly, he's worthy of being the object of Uryuu's desire.

Kurosaki is powerful. Uryuu knows this all too well. It's not just his spiritual energy that makes him so attractive, though, it's the other little things Uryuu can't help noticing, like Kurosaki's legs for example. They're tanned and nicely muscled, and Uryuu likes to watch them as Kurosaki runs.

Unlike Uryuu, Kurosaki is physically fit, more so than most of the guys in their class. They've been doing laps for over twenty minutes now, and Kurosaki is barely even out of breath. Sado-kun keeps pace effortlessly by his side, but Kurosaki's other friends are on the verge of collapse. That idiot Asano is yelling at Kurosaki to slow down and wait for them, while Kojima-kun merely huffs and pants as he desperately tries to keep up. Uryuu is amazed that he's lasted so long. Not that he has anything against Kojima-kun, of course. It's just that he, like most people, found himself under the impression that the petite playboy was actually a girl when they first made acquaintances.

Bored with Asano's shouting, Uryuu turns his attention briefly back to his female classmates. Inoue-san seems to be enjoying herself immensely, even if she does forget the rules of the game from time to time, while Arisawa-san and Kuchiki-san take turns in terrorising their opponents. Most people tend to cower before Arisawa-san, seeing as she *is* the school's judo champion, but Kuchiki-san is also experienced at striking fear into people's hearts. On the outside she looks relatively harmless, and Kuchiki-san uses this to her advantage. It's strange how someone so tiny can pack such a powerful punch, but Uryuu has seen her bring Kurosaki to his knees on more than one occasion, so he knows that it's best to be on his guard around her.

Ten minutes later and Kagine-sensei blows his whistle. The girls are to start running laps while the boys are to start teaming up for soccer. Uryuu watches as Kurosaki sits down on one of the benches and takes a short break. Sado-kun taps him on the shoulder and wordlessly offers him a bottle of water, and Kurosaki accepts it with a grateful grin.

Not for the first time, Uryuu finds himself jealous of Sado-kun. He envies the close relationship that he and Kurosaki share, and he knows for a fact how protective Sado-kun can be where Kurosaki is concerned. Uryuu tries to tell himself how ridiculous it is to view Sado-kun as a threat, especially when he's never once shown any interest in Kurosaki romantically, but he still can't help being bothered by it.

It isn't like Inoue-san's crush for some reason. Kurosaki has always been dense, so he's the only person in their entire class who *doesn't* know how fond Inoue-san really is of him. Uryuu has never once felt threatened by Inoue-san. She's a nice girl, even if she is a little weird. She's also content to admire Kurosaki from afar while he remains blissfully oblivious to her attention.

Uryuu hates it when Kurosaki is clueless, which is most of the time, really. He had to challenge Kurosaki directly to make him notice his existence after all. Now, though, it's different. Kurosaki regularly tries to include him in various activities, whether it's eating lunch with the rest of his friends, or teaming up for projects.

Uryuu always refuses, of course, but Kurosaki simply drags him along anyway, and Uryuu appreciates that. He'll never admit it out loud, but he likes being included, especially if it's with Kurosaki...

And so, Uryuu continues to watch as the soccer game begins. Together, Kurosaki and Sado-kun flatten the opposing team, which isn't too surprising. Sado-kun is an excellent choice for a goalkeeper, mainly because most of his classmates are far too terrified to go near him, and Kurosaki's kick is legendary. Whenever he shoots to score, the opposing goalkeeper seems more interested in saving his life than saving his points.

It's an entertaining match to say the least, and when Kagine-sensei blows the whistle at the end of the lesson, Uryuu puts his work away and gets to his feet.

"Oi, Ishida! Over here!"

A soccer ball smacks him on the head before he can even turn around, and when he does, he sees a sheepish-looking Kurosaki jogging over to retrieve it.

"What was *that* for?!" Uryuu asks irritably, rubbing the back of his skull.

"You were supposed to catch it," Kurosaki explains with a smirk. "It's what you get for daydreaming, I guess."

"I *wasn't* daydreaming!" Uryuu snaps. "I just don't make a habit of watching out for homicidal idiots who don't even know how to kick a ball properly!"

"I *do* know how to kick a ball properly!" Kurosaki says, frowning. "You probably never noticed, but *I* was the one who scored the most goals just now."

"Yes, I saw," Uryuu tells him wryly. "Twenty-five to three, wasn't it?"

"You kept count?"

"I like paying attention to my surroundings, unlike you."

For once, Kurosaki doesn't take offence from one of Uryuu's insults. If anything, he just looks vaguely curious.

"How come you never offered to join in? We wouldn't have turned you away or anything. Weren't you bored sitting out there all by yourself?"

"I *wasn't* bored. I also happen to *like* being alone!"

"No big deal. You can take part next time."

"Whoever said I'd be taking part?!"

"I did. Weren't you listening?"

Uryuu can only fume. "I'm quite capable of making my own decisions, Kurosaki Ichigo."

"No you're not," Kurosaki says with a grin. "Be grateful. If it weren't for me, you'd be dying of loneliness."

Uryuu opens his mouth to come up with a retort, but Kurosaki merely tosses his bottle of water at him. This time, Uryuu makes the catch.

"Drink up," Kurosaki tells him. "It's hot today. You don't want to be getting dehydrated or anything."

Uryuu can only stare wordlessly. Now that Kurosaki mentions it, he *is* thirsty, but he'd rather cut off his tongue than offer any gratitude. Kurosaki doesn't seem to be expecting any, though, because he simply turns and waves over his shoulder.

"I'd better shower and change. See you in History."

He jogs off again, but Uryuu continues to stare at the bottle in his hand. The water inside it is still cool and Uryuu flips the cap open so that he can take a sip. It's then that he remembers watching Kurosaki drinking earlier and he feels his face growing hot when he finally makes the connection.

He and Kurosaki have just shared an indirect kiss.

 

End.


	3. Three

Title: Back to Back  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warning: Shounen ai  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Themes used: #14 (radio-cassette player) and #15 (perfect blue)

~~

Ishida's apartment is so tiny that Ichigo would never have known about his spare storage room if it hadn't been pointed out to him first. It's not so much a room as a cupboard, a poky, dusty little place where Ishida keeps all of his secret treasures.

It's a sign of the trust Ishida places in him when he opens that door and shows Ichigo what lies beyond it. To most people, it's just a cupboard full of junk, but to Ishida, it's something special, and the most important object he owns is a battered old radio-cassette player.

Ichigo hasn't seen one in years, not since CD's took over the market and sent cassette tapes the way of the dinosaur.

Ishida doesn't own a CD player. He has a TV that sits in a corner of the sitting room, but he never turns it on. Ichigo doesn't know how Ishida stands all that silence. He didn't think he'd be able to cope with it. It'd probably drive him insane. Then again, he does live with one of the noisiest families in Karakura.

Ishida seems to like his quiet, for the most part, and although they may not always see eye-to-eye, Ichigo doesn't much like begrudging Ishida what he wants. Often the pair of them will sit without speaking, him with his nose buried in a book and Ishida engrossed in whatever project he's currently working on.

If it's embroidery, then he'll occasionally hum under his breath as he stitches, and if it's knitting, then he'll occasionally mutter instructions to himself from one of his handicraft books over the steady clack-clack-clack of the needles.

It's just something that Ichigo has grown used to over time. He never calls in advance whenever he goes to visit Ishida's place, but Ishida never complains about that. Besides, he doesn't even have a telephone. He can't afford to pay the bill.

Ichigo still doesn't really know anything about Ishida's private life. He never asks and Ishida rarely tells. He might let slip a couple of details here and there, but nothing too important. Ichigo knows that Ishida and his father don't have a very good relationship, and really, that's enough. He also knows that Ishida supports himself, more or less, with the money that his grandfather left behind.

He's not well off financially, which explains why the apartment is so cramped. It isn't run-down or anything like that, though, because Ishida takes pride in keeping things neat, practical and aesthetically pleasing. He makes his own curtains, he makes his own cushions, he makes his own lace throws. Ishida likes things that are attractive and he likes them to serve a purpose.

His kitchen is almost as tiny as his storage cupboard, but it's always sparkling clean. It isn't cluttered with unnecessary things or anything like that, just the bare essentials. Ever since Ichigo began visiting, though, the number of bowls and pots has been steadily growing. It's mainly because Ichigo tends to bring food with him whenever he calls.

Ishida didn't like that at first. He's never wanted anyone to see him as some sort of charity case, but Ichigo merely smacked him as he told him to stop complaining and start eating. He'll always have some excuse waiting whenever Ishida asks questions. He'll say that his sister made too much dinner again and that he didn't want it getting wasted, or that his father was annoying him and that he wanted to eat someplace peaceful.

They both know the real reason why Ichigo does these things. No matter how hard Ichigo scowls, he can't hide the truth. He hates seeing people sad and lonely.

Anybody else would probably pity Ishida, but Ichigo doesn't. He never pities anyone. Instead of offering shallow reassurances and flowery sympathy, he drags people to their feet, brushes them off and points them in the direction where they're supposed to be going. He stands by them, protects them, supports them. He never says anything out loud, but Ishida knows that if he's ever in trouble, Ichigo will help him out in an instant. It's just the type of person that he is.

Before Ichigo came along, Ishida never had any friends. He's always been a loner after all, but Ichigo doesn't like that. It's why he always tries to include Ishida, even if it's just a little thing like eating lunch together on the roof of the school. Before Ichigo came along, Ishida was never included, but now, things have changed. He's changed. He isn't as bitter as he once was. He doesn't hate as much as he used to either, and it's all thanks to the loud-mouthed, bright-haired Shinigami who opened up his eyes and literally kicked him free from the chains of his past.

Ishida owes a lot to Ichigo and he knows it. There isn't much that he can offer up in return, other than his trust, but to Ichigo, that's the most important gift a human being can ever give. That's why he watches as Ishida brings out a cloth and gently wipes the tape recorder, cleaning away the dust that's been covering it over time.

It's old, even for a tape recorder, and Ichigo can tell that it wasn't purchased recently. His suspicions are confirmed when Ishida tells him that it belonged to his late grandfather, and although it's a clunky, awkward thing, to Ishida, it's worth its weight in gold.

As Ichigo stares, Ishida begins to talk. He tells Ichigo things that he's never told another living soul, and Ichigo listens. Ishida tells him about his father's disapproval of the Quincy, and the supernatural in general, and still, Ichigo listens. He learns that Ishida's father tried to keep him and his grandfather apart, that he didn't want Ishida wasting his time by trying to do a Shinigami’s work.

He also learns that Ishida ignored the warnings and snuck off to see his grandfather anyway. He liked to hear the stories and songs his grandfather had to share, and that's when he reaches out for the cassette player in front of him.

He pushes the 'play' button, and Ichigo hears the sound of an old man's voice. Ishida eventually explains that his grandfather used to record himself reading a book out loud. He'd give Ishida the tape and Ishida would listen to it late at night whenever his father forbid him yet again from having anything at all to do with his grandfather.

Ishida has a small box full of these cassettes. They're the only things he has left to remember his grandfather by, and Ichigo understands just how precious they must be. That's why he gently takes hold of Ishida's chin and tilts his face so that their gazes can meet. His free hand carefully removes the glasses from Ishida's face and places them down on the floor beside the tape player.

Ishida's eyes are full of sadness and regret, but even so, they're still a perfect shade of blue. Ichigo can't remember ever seeing them so honest and open before, and he watches, entranced, as a single teardrop slides down Ishida's cheek.

Ichigo finds himself leaning closer and closer until his lips finally meet Ishida's in a bittersweet kiss that's full of salty sorrow. He knows that Ishida will never erase those cassette tapes, but maybe over time, he'll come to rid himself of those regrets, and when he does, Ichigo will be there, waiting. Together, they can rewrite and start again, and then there won't be any more sadness, because together, they can do anything, as long as they're standing back-to-back against it all.

The first time Ichigo saw Ishida's eyes, they were hollow and full of loss, but now they're full of promise as they shine with the rest of the tears that refuse to be shed. Ichigo doesn't speak, but that's okay. He knows that Ishida understands. He always does.

 

End.


	4. Four

Title: A Rose by Any Other Name  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: NC-17  
Warnings: Yaoi lemon, PWP  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #3 (jolt)

~~

"Sensei, I need to return my spare text book to the library."

"Go ahead, Kurosaki, but make it quick."

Ichigo tried to keep his face straight as he slide out his seat, making sure to walk past Ishida's desk on his way to the door, brushing against him intentionally. Ishida never even looked up from his assignment, but his shoulders tensed, and his fingers tightened around the pen in his grip as Ichigo casually strolled out of the classroom.

The request to return his book had been an excuse to get away, obviously, and Ichigo had no intention of going anywhere near the library. Instead he threw the text in his locker, and then headed over to the boy's washroom to wait for Ishida. He knew that it wouldn't be too long before Ishida turned up, and Ichigo grinned to himself as he wondered how pissed off he'd be *this* time.

Ever since Ishida had admitted what Ichigo's spiritual energy did to him, Ichigo had tormented him mercilessly. It hadn't just been verbal teasing, either. Ichigo knew for a fact that even the barely-there touch he'd given Ishida earlier was enough to turn him on, and his grin turned even more evil at the memory of it.

He still had no idea how it worked, but somehow, his spiritual energy just leaked out all over the place, and Ishida seemed particularly sensitive on picking it up. It wasn't like Ichigo did it on purpose or anything, but now that he knew the kind of effect that it had on Ishida, he'd quickly lost any interest in attempting to control or harness his own power.

Still, Ichigo found himself wondering sometimes what it must be like for Ishida to feel something like that. Even now, he still had trouble detecting Ishida's presence, so he had no idea how it must be to have somebody else's energy being channelled into his own body. Judging by the ecstatic and orgasmic-looking faces that Ishida tended to make during those times Ichigo could only assume that it felt pleasant.

Ishida's expression as he entered the washroom was far from happy, and Ichigo snickered a little as Ishida locked the door behind him.

"Kurosaki, I *hate* you."

"Yeah, yeah. Tell me something I don't know."

Ishida turned on him fiercely as he lowered the jacket that he'd been using to cover up his nether regions, and Ichigo's smirk grew even wider when he caught sight of the rather noticeable bulge in Ishida's pants.

"This is the third time today, you fool! Are you really that desperate, or are you just making fun of me?"

"Hmm... a bit of both, maybe?"

"I swear, Kurosaki, if you don't learn how to control that power-"

"Just stop bitching already and kiss me, you freak."

And Ishida did.

He let his jacket fall carelessly to the floor as he closed the distance between them in three short strides, pushing Ichigo roughly against the wall in his haste to bring their bodies closer together. Ishida's frown disappeared immediately when they pressed up against each other, and he allowed himself to savour the sensation for a second or two, before seeking out Ichigo's mouth with his own.

The kiss felt good to Ichigo for a number of reasons. The way Ishida forced their lips together was almost violent, but Ichigo didn't complain. Besides, he liked it like that. Their time together was limited, so the quicker they got this over with, the better. It wasn't that he *didn't* want to prolong the experience. He just didn't want anyone to start getting suspicious over their absence.

Still, it was nice to know that even Ishida could be human sometimes. Like most teenage boys, he was typically horny, and it didn't take much at all to get him aroused. It kind of made up for his obsession with arts and crafts, but only just.

Both boys gasped for breath when they parted, but instead of leaning in for another kiss, Ishida began to trail his lips up and down Ichigo's throat.

"Dammit, Ishida, stop giving me hickeys!"

A muffled-sounding grunt was the only response that Ichigo got before Ishida bit him. Ichigo hissed loudly as Ishida sucked at his skin and wondered how many marks he was planning on giving him this time.

"I said stop, you idiot! People are going to know what we've been doing!"

"Don’t worry so much," Ishida said, speaking between kisses. "The school uniform has a high collar, so no-one will notice. And Kuchiki-san already knows what we get up to when we're not in class."

"I know she does, but-"

"Inoue-san knows, too."

That got Ichigo's attention. "*Inoue* knows?"

"And Sado-kun."

"Even Chad?!"

"That's right. Why do you think he spends so much time glaring at me? He thinks that I've corrupted you. I'm surprised he hasn't beaten me up yet. Though come to think of it, the teacher probably knows what we're doing as well. Why else would she let us escape so often without asking questions?"

Apparently finished with talking for the time being, Ishida went back to his task of scattering suck marks all over Ichigo's neck. Ichigo knew that he should have been mortified after hearing such a disturbing little piece of information, but Ishida was far too good at distracting him, so he couldn't dwell on it for long.

"Stop thinking. You dragged me out here for a reason, didn't you?"

And when Ishida began slowly grinding their hips together, Ichigo was quick to remember what that reason was.

"Hey," he said suddenly, gasping as his body moved in rhythm with Ishida's. "What does it feel like for you when we do this? Why *does* my spiritual energy turn you on?"

Ishida closed his eyes and licked his lips. "I can't really explain it. It's like throwing a switch. There's a jolt, and after that, it's just... warm. It's like having some sort of current flowing into me... like a part of *you* is flowing into me. It's erotic, and... mmm... it makes me want to have sex."

"A part of me is flowing into you?"

"Yes, exactly. And then I reciprocate by putting one of *my* parts inside of *you*."

"Ishida? Stop talking. I won't want to do this anymore if you keep on saying stupid stuff."

"Well, you *did* ask..."

Ichigo decided that a better way of shutting Ishida up would be to kiss him, and he did just that. One of Ishida's hands had slipped under his shirt in order to toy with his nipples, and Ichigo groaned into his mouth, hooking a thigh over Ishida's hip in an attempt to bring him closer still.

"Nn, Kurosaki... wrap your legs around my waist..."

"Are you kidding? You could never hold me up with *those* bony girl arms."

"Just do it. I'm stronger than I look."

Ichigo frowned dubiously, but allowed Ishida to hoist him up anyway. When Ishida had gotten his lower body settled comfortably between Ichigo's thighs, he started rocking his hips again, causing Ichigo to cry out in shock.

"Oh God... I think we're going to need a bed..."

Ishida groaned in response. "The medical ward is too far away. And we're due back in class soon."

"We can't leave yet! Not before I can get off!"

"Don't be so selfish. You're forgetting about me and my needs!"

"Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Absolutely. A quick sixty-nine ought to take care of this situation."

"In a public washroom? Hell no!"

"Then what *were* you thinking about?"

"Actually, I was thinking about how I'm going to end up heading back to class with a freaking stain if you keep humping me. That's why I was going to tell you to stop."

“No! We’re not stopping now!”

“Dammit, Ishida, I’m going to cream my shorts if you don’t quit moving!”

“So close already? You really *are* eager, aren’t you?”

Ishida soon stopped talking when Ichigo punched him in the face.

“Put me down, idiot.”

Ishida did so, nursing his injured cheek sullenly when Ichigo stood on his own two feet. He soon forgot about sulking when Ichigo opened up his pants, and he hurried to return the favour. Ichigo made an irritated-sounding noise when Ishida let go of him in order to reach into his own pocket, then shook his head urgently when he saw what Ishida was holding.

"We can't do that here!" he hissed, trying to shove the little tube of lubricant back into Ishida's pocket.

"You're going to finish what you started, Kurosaki," Ishida told him with a glare, batting Ichigo's hands away and working on getting the other boy's pants and underwear down.

"But... but... this is *insane*!" Ichigo didn't seem to be putting up much of a fight, though. Actually, he aided Ishida by kicking off his shoes and wriggling the rest of the way out of his pants. "We can't... we shouldn't..."

"You were the one who dragged me out of the classroom in the first place. At least make this worth my while!"

"Oh, so you'd rather be learning about literature than doing me. Is that what you're trying to say?"

"Shut up before I gag you."

"Hell no! You started it!"

"*You* started it! You need to take responsibility for your actions!"

"I can do that by having sex?"

"Only if it's with me. If I ever find out that you've been sleeping around... well, I'll be very upset. And jealous. I'd be horribly jealous"

"Ishida, you're always jealous, even when you don't have reason to be. Now, are we going to do this or not?"

Ishida chose to answer physically rather than verbally as he slid down to the floor, pulling Ichigo with him, and yanking him into his lap. Ichigo went willingly, snatching the lubricant away from Ishida and uncapping it so that he could squeeze the contents over Ishida's fingers. Those same fingers set about preparing him seconds later, causing Ichigo to curse under his breath.

"Just hurry the Hell up! We don't have all day!"

"Be quiet. Let me do this properly!"

"You're too freaking slow! We're at *school*, remember? We're supposed to be in *class* right now!"

"I know, and it's all your fault!"

"Why is it *my* fault?!"

"Because you're the one who got me horny in the first place!"

"But it's funny when I set you off like that. Besides, I enjoy having that sort of power over you."

"Since when have *you* ever had power? I'm not the one who's always spreading my legs, am I?"

"Are you calling me a slut, Ishida?"

"Yes, I'm calling you a slut, Kurosaki. But you're *my* slut, and that makes all the difference."

"I am *not* your slut. I'm not your bitch, either. Why are we arguing, anyway?"

"Because we're always getting on each other's nerves, that's why. And because it turns me on almost as much as your spiritual energy does."

"Arguing turns you on?"

"*You* turn me on, Kurosaki, so stop talking and start moaning already. But not too loud. I don't want us to get caught."

A few seconds later and Ishida had replaced his fingers with his cock, holding onto Ichigo's hips as Ichigo slowly lowered himself down. He only stopped when Ishida was inside as far as he could go, pausing just long enough so that he could adjust to the intrusion, before he began moving again.

"Nn, Ishida... feels so good..."

Ishida gritted his teeth and nodded in response, letting Ichigo set the pace for once. Ichigo was no longer scowling. His expression was one of blissful contentment, and Ishida couldn't help leaning in a little so that he could whisper into Ichigo's ear.

"Again. Say my name... my *given* name..."

Ichigo moaned breathlessly. "Mmm... Ametatsu..."

Ishida stared back at him in wide-eyed disbelief. "It's Uryuu, you fool! *Uryuu*! Don't tell me you've forgotten already!"

It took him a second to notice the fact that Ichigo's shoulders were shaking with silent laughter, but when he did, he quickly went from shock to indignation.

"Kurosaki, I *hate* you."

Ichigo merely snickered in response. "I love you too, Ametatsu."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Why? You always make a funny face whenever I say it."

"It isn't even my real name!"

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet."

"Don't quote Shakespeare while we're having sex. It's disturbing!"

"It just goes to show that I actually pay attention in class."

"Do you *really* want me to gag you, Kurosaki?"

"I'll bite you if you try, kinky bastard."

Tired of bickering, Ishida decided to take control. He tightened his grip on Ichigo's waist to keep him steady as he thrust up into him hard. Now Ichigo was the one who looked surprised, and Ishida soon went back to feeling smug and superior.

Even though Ichigo was making a conscious effort to keep himself quiet, he couldn't stop all of his moans from escaping, and they only grew louder when Ishida began to establish a rhythm. It was as irritating as it was arousing, and Ishida had to reach up and clap a hand over Ichigo's mouth in order to muffle his noises.

Ichigo attempted to glare back at him, but he was far too busy stroking himself to be really angry. Just the sight of it was enough to make Ishida start moving faster. He always liked watching Ichigo touch himself, and it was only when Ichigo's free hand settled over his mouth that Ishida realised how noisy he'd been getting, too.

Ichigo, always impatient, was the first to come, but it didn't take long for Ishida to follow, and when the bell rang to signify the end of class, Ichigo had the good grace to look sheepish.

"Well, that took longer than I expected. I wonder how we're going to explain ourselves this time?"

"We could always save ourselves the trouble of coming up with excuses by going home instead. We'd even get to have more sex."

"And fail our courses? I don't think so."

"I won't fail. I'm too smart."

"Then what about me?"

"I'll let you copy my work. But only if you sleep with me."

"Isn't that kind of immoral?"

"You've never worried about it before."

"I guess not. Okay then, your place or mine?"

"Mine. I don't want your father listening in and shouting out words of encouragement."

"Agreed. I think we'd better get cleaned up first, though, before we go anywhere..."

 

End.


	5. Five

Title: More Than Enough  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Mild shounen ai, angst, manga spoilers (up to chapter 167)  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Themes used: #4 (our distance and that person) and #16 (invincible/unrivalled)

~~

As usual, Ishida tends not to mince words when he's with Ichigo.

"You look like Hell," he says bluntly as he makes himself comfortable on the floor, smoothing down the stolen Shinigami uniform that he's still not used to wearing in an effort to make himself look more in control.

Ichigo smirks wryly up at him from his cot. "I've seen better days." He doesn't move to get up, and that tells Ishida how exhausted he really must be. Orihime healed him as best she could, and he's also been cleaned up a little, but he still looks terrible.

Ishida heard from Yoruichi about how Ichigo has spent the past few days doing nothing other than training, fighting and occasionally, sleeping, and as always whenever he's around Ichigo lately, it makes him feel inferior. Ichigo just keeps on getting stronger and stronger, while he... he's nothing but dead weight. He's trying desperately to keep up with Ichigo, but Ichigo continues to pull ahead, and one day, he's going to end up leaving Ishida behind altogether.

'Don't leave me... I don't want to be alone again...'

Maybe it's because Ishida is feeling too tired to mask how he's really feeling, but whatever the reason, Ichigo seems to notice that something isn't right.

"So, what's up? Surely you didn't come here just to let me know that I'm looking like crap. I had enough of that from Ganjuu earlier."

"I just..." Ishida's hands tighten in the folds of his unfamiliar clothing. "I... I wanted to see you again. And tell you that you look like crap, of course."

Ichigo chuckles, but even his laughter sounds weary. "It's been a while, I guess. We all got through it, though. We're still hanging in there. But then I knew that you'd all be okay. Chad and I made a promise, so I trusted him to stay alive... for me... for himself... and I knew that you and Inoue would be far too smart to get yourselves into any kind of trouble. You're not like me, after all."

Ishida smirks humourlessly. "No, we did our best to avoid any unnecessary violence. You just went running headlong into it."

"It's what I do best, so don't complain. I may have got a little bloodied up, but I did what I came here to do. I rescued Rukia. That bastard Renji has her now, and I told him to protect her with his life." Ichigo grins suddenly. "I kicked his ass again, you know. It was great."

Usually, Ichigo's good mood would have been infectious, but too much has been happening for Ishida to feel like smiling along with him. If anything, Ichigo's statement drives home the fact that he's been getting stronger, and it makes Ishida feel more and more behind. He used all his power fighting one powerful person, but Ichigo merely ploughed his way through a whole heap of them. Gate guardians, captains, vice-captains... it didn't seem to matter what stood in Ichigo's way, because he'd always defeat it, whatever the obstacle.

Ishida knows that Ichigo has always been determined, but this... this is different. It's something that he still doesn't understand just yet, but he knows that somehow, Ichigo's strength seems to come from Kuchiki Rukia. His strength is *because* of Kuchiki Rukia... and even Ishida can tell how important she is to him.

"You did what you came here to do," he says quietly, speaking more to himself than to Ichigo. "You rescued her, just like you said you would. She's your reason for being here."

"Well, yeah." Ichigo seems confused. "Why else would I be here, if not for her sake? I owed her big time, and now I've paid her back. That weirdo brother of hers was going to *kill* her, for crying out loud, so I kicked his ass, too. And then I broke his girly hair curlers."

Ishida laughs in spite of himself. "It's all so simple for you, isn't it? You came, you saw, you kicked a lot of Shinigami backside. You've gotten stronger, Kurosaki... but you haven't changed. You're just the same as always."

Ichigo seems not to share his amusement. "You feel different, though. You seem to have changed."

Ishida's smile dies immediately. Of course he's changed. How could he not be? A lot of things have happened over such a short period of time, and he doesn't want to think about them too much just yet.

Ichigo continues to stare at him, though, and now he's looking curious.

"Why did *you* come here?" he asks suddenly. "You must have had your reasons, too. And don't give me any of that 'I wanted to prove the power of the Quincy' crap, either."

Ishida's face darkens as he remembers fighting with the captain of the twelfth division... remembers hearing about his 'experiments'... remembers seeing that photograph of his grandfather...

It's true that his pride was involved, and it's true that he wanted to make the Shinigami acknowledge his strength, but his reasons seem to pitiful compared to Ichigo's that he can't bring himself to voice them all out loud.

There is another reason for his being here, and it's because of Ichigo himself. Ishida knows that he isn't alone, either. Orihime does seem to have some concern over Rukia's welfare, but Ichigo has always been her number one priority. It's the same with Chad. His faith in Ichigo is utterly unshakable, and if Ichigo ever needs him for anything, Chad will help him out in a heartbeat.

'They'd follow you anywhere, and dammit... so would I...'

He has to say something, though. Ichigo is looking worried.

"I came here because I could," Ishida tells him finally. "That's all there is to it."

Even so, he can't help remembering Orihime's tears when she confessed to Ichigo how worried she'd been in his absence. He can’t help remembering the trusting expression on Chad's face when the two of them had been imprisoned along with Ganjuu.

"I believe that Ichigo will definitely come for us," he'd said quietly. "He'll be here. I know he will."

It's because of Ichigo that Chad and Orihime gained their powers in the first place, and Ishida realises suddenly that Ichigo is as important to them as Rukia is to him. He wonders if Ichigo even knows this, and again, he silently admits to himself that Ichigo matters to him, too. After all, he made a promise to Ichigo as well. Maybe it isn't as noble as Chad's, but it's still important.

Ishida remembers telling Ichigo to survive so that they can beat each other up, but it all seems so long ago. Everything is different now, and Ishida doubts that he could barely even put a scratch on Ichigo in his current state, much less beat him senseless.

'Do I matter to you, Kurosaki? Could a weakling like me really be important?'

Ishida doesn't want to admit it, but he envies Ichigo's power almost as much as he fears it, and he hates being frightened more than anything in the world. It's a horrible, helpless emotion, and he can't ever imagine Ichigo ever feeling that way. Right now, Ichigo doesn't even feel human to him anymore, and that's the most terrifying thing of all.

A hand on Ishida's shoulder makes him start, and he glances down to see that Ichigo is staring at him and looking even more concerned. It's silly, he knows, but Ishida feels relieved. Ichigo *does* care about him. He *is* important after all.

"Are you okay?" Ichigo asks him. "You're acting kind of weird."

Ichigo's hand still hasn't moved away, and it's a comforting weight. Ishida doesn't ever want to lose that comfort again, and suddenly, he's afraid that he'll start blurting out his worries, like Orihime did earlier. Somehow, though, he manages to keep everything inside.

"It's nothing. Nothing at all."

'Stop *looking* at me like that... I don't think I can take it...'

Ishida knows that he'll always just be one of the many people that Ichigo feels the need to protect. He's no one special. He'll never be as important to Ichigo as Ichigo is to him, and it stings even more than his weakness.

Ichigo is strong. Too strong for Ishida to comprehend. He remembers the first time Ichigo fought Kuchiki Byakuya and the difference between them in power, then he remembers the devastation from their second fight after Ichigo defeated the Kuchiki heir. Ichigo's powers seem to be unrivalled... even Byakuya had acknowledged them.

But Ishida's own powers have been lost. *He* is lost. He doesn't seem to know who or what he is anymore, and in his moment of insecurity, he *needs* so badly to feel sure of himself again.

That's why he leans down and touches his lips lightly to Ichigo's.

Ichigo makes a small sound of surprise and his hand goes slack on Ishida's shoulder, but Ishida doesn't move away again just yet.

Ichigo's lips are dry and chapped. They don't resist Ishida's kiss, but they don't respond to it, either. Ishida doesn't know whether to take that as a good sign or a bad one, which is why he finally pulls away.

It hurts to see Ichigo's face filled with confusion. Ishida thinks that maybe, something would feel right for once, but now Ichigo seems to be as lost as he is, and it's all his fault. The sudden rush of guilt makes him stumble hurriedly to his feet, but Ichigo follows before he can escape.

Ichigo catches the back of his robes and Ishida can hear him breathing heavily. It must have taken effort for him to get up like that so soon after being in such a vicious battle, but Ishida isn't surprised.

"Go back to bed, Kurosaki," he says evenly.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong," Ichigo rasps.

"Kurosaki, you're hurt. You need your rest."

"No, I need you to stop being such an ass. Now, tell me what the Hell your problem is before I beat you up."

Ishida smirks. Even in his weakened state, Ichigo would probably make good on those words, which is why he finally turns to look at him. Ichigo is on his knees with his head bowed. He still clings to Ishida's robes, but now, it's more to keep himself upright than stopping Ishida from leaving. His face is white with pain and blood slowly stains the bandages over his stomach. Ishida sighs.

"Look at what you did, idiot. You opened up your wounds again."

Ichigo glares up at him. "Your fault," he hisses through clenched teeth.

Ishida merely sighs again and helps Ichigo back over to his cot. Ichigo lies down on it heavily, gasping when he jars his injuries. Sweat has broken over his brow, and the bandages grow redder and redder. Ishida works on removing them carefully, mopping up the excess blood before patching Ichigo tightly back up.

"I feel like a freaking mummy," Ichigo groans as Ishida places a damp cloth over his forehead.

"You look like one, too," Ishida tells him dryly as he packs the medical kit away. "Just be thankful that you still have your internal organs."

Ichigo watches him through heavy-lidded eyes, and Ishida knows that he must be on the verge of passing out.

"Get some sleep, Kurosaki. You're exhausted."

Ichigo shakes his head. "I want to know why you kissed me just now."

Ishida smiles humourlessly. He doesn't even know the answer himself. Now it's Ichigo's turn to sigh.

"Okay, okay, I'll wait until we get home instead. You can tell me your reasons, and I'll listen to them. I might not understand... but I'll listen."

Ichigo closes his eyes and his breathing starts to even out slowly. Ishida watches him sleep. For now, it's more than enough.

 

End.


	6. Six

Title: Far From Perfect  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: R  
Warnings: Yaoi lime, humour, general Ishida dorkiness and Ichigo idiocy  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #19 (red)

~~

Ishida enjoyed teasing Ichigo. He did it verbally just about every single day, and he was often the one to initiate an argument between them. Of course, he also enjoyed teasing Ichigo sexually, and that was even better than the bickering. Ichigo had always been easily irritated, but since Ishida came into his life, he'd also become easily aroused. That suited Ishida just fine, since he himself was easier to turn on than a hot water tap.

Luckily for him, though, Ichigo was dense, as well as oblivious to most of the things that he deemed to be uninteresting. What Ishida lacked in physical strength, he more than made up with in cunning and intelligence, and he always used both of them to his advantage. As such, he was the one with the control in their relationship... in the bedroom, anyway.

It was easy for Ishida to conveniently forget how much control Ichigo had over other aspects of his life, but to every teenage boy, getting laid is always a top priority, even if they do resent Shinigami for being so useless and unnecessary.

Ishida *liked* having sex.

Hormones were a pretty big factor, of course, but spiritual energy also tended to play a part. Ishida couldn't do anything about the hormones, at least until he grew out of his teens, but the spiritual energy was all Ichigo's fault. He never made any effort to contain it, and coming into contact with him, however briefly, resulted in an instant hard-on for Ishida.

Spirit power and general teenage horniness weren't the only two things that contributed to Ishida's sexual appetite. He'd noticed Ichigo's attractiveness the moment he clapped eyes on him, and he seemed to grow more and more good-looking everyday.

Ishida's favourite body part had always been Ichigo's ass. The fact that Ichigo was so fond of tight clothing only made it easier to ogle, but Ishida refused to settle for a mere glance or two. He liked to grope that perky little rear, usually when they were out in public. It always brought the most adorable blush to Ichigo's face, and Ishida could deal with the insults, as well as the smack in the face that usually tended to follow.

That was okay, though, because Ishida knew that Ichigo's random acts of violence were just another way for him to express his affection. Other people showed their love through kisses and cuddles, but Ichigo seemed happy with punches and kicks. Ishida's head was harder than most, and he'd yet to suffer any real damage from Ichigo's violence.

Besides, it was worth it to see Ichigo so flustered and embarrassed. A lesser man would have given up and walked away, but Ishida had always been persistent, and to an extent, obsessive. When he wanted something, he went out and got it, but only after he'd brooded and plotted for months. Most people called it procrastinating. Ishida called it being thorough.

Still, he was proud of his accomplishments. No one else had broken down Ichigo's defences the way that he had. No one else could make him moan and writhe the way that he did. At least Ishida *thought* he was the only one who could make Ichigo moan and writhe. If anyone else possessed that ability, he'd be sure to hunt them down and kill them.

Ishida *hated* threats.

It didn't matter if they were real or imagined, because Ichigo was his, all his, and he wasn't willing to give him up again anytime soon. Not after the effort it had taken to get him into bed in the first place.

Ishida didn't care to admit it, but he knew that he could be a little on the possessive side sometimes. Ichigo was far too clueless to notice, though. He just thought of Ishida's clingy nature as something that he did on purpose to piss him off.

Well, Ishida *did* take a perverse kind of pleasure in ruffling Ichigo's feathers, but the clinginess really was something that he couldn't seem to find a cure for. He'd always been needy by nature, and he blamed it on the fact that his father had ignored him so much as a child. Seeing his sensei die before his eyes hadn't helped either, but Ishida had never considered himself to be strange or disturbed. He was merely special, and being special meant being better than everybody else.

Ishida *loved* feeling superior.

He especially loved feeling superior to Ichigo. Over time, his grudge against the Shinigami had faded, but he still enjoyed having control over the one that he'd claimed as his lover. A small part of Ishida's brain realised that even a five year old could probably manipulate Ichigo, but he tended to ignore that that little piece of knowledge, because otherwise he wouldn't feel so good about his ability to make Ichigo want to spread his legs for him.

That ability made Ishida feel strong. It excited him to know that he was capable of giving Ichigo pleasure, as well being able to take it away from him. He knew that tormenting Ichigo the way that he did was probably cruel, but it also tended to result in longer, more powerful orgasms, at least for Ichigo.

Ichigo never seemed to appreciate Ishida's thoughtfulness, though. Even now, as Ishida teased him with barely-there touches, he writhed on the bed, cursing from time to time, and generally being anxious and impatient.

The swearing never really had much effect on Ishida, but the helpless little noises definitely did. Luckily for him, Ichigo tended to make a lot of them, and Ishida loved every single one, from Ichigo's pleading whimpers to his moans of desperation. On a good day he could even make Ichigo scream, but Ishida tended to disapprove of bad language... unless it was dirty talk, obviously. Then he encouraged Ichigo to be as filthy as he could.

Unfortunately, there was a downside when it came to tormenting Ichigo, and Ishida found himself being reminded of it when Ichigo actually punched him in the face.

He hadn't done it on purpose. He just tended to forget himself in the heat of the moment. He often arched and squirmed and flung his arms and legs about in abandon, and although Ishida appreciated Ichigo's wanton behaviour very much, he really could have done without getting socked right on the nose.

Ichigo didn't even notice at first. He only opened his eyes when he realised that Ishida's whimpers were born of pain rather than excitement, and he pushed himself up into a sitting position as Ishida covered his nose protectively with the palm of his hand.

"Oh shit... I'm sorry... I'm sorry," he said as he crawled into Ishida's lap and kissed his shoulder apologetically. "Can we still have sex?"

Ishida could only stare in disbelief as Ichigo began squirming in his lap, throwing his head back and rocking his hips. Unlike some people, Ishida did not get off on pain. It took the edge away from his lust even faster than the idea of making love to a woman, and Ichigo's moans grew more and more frustrated when he realised that Ishida wasn't responding to him.

"Nn, Ishida... I need you..."

Any other time and Ishida would have been thrilled to hear those words, but the fact that he was bleeding all over his fingers continued to turn him off. "Stop squirming, you idiot!" he said thickly. "I think you broke my nose!"

Ichigo ceased his movements for a second and blinked at Ishida in surprise. "Are you suffering from blinding agony?" he asked.

"No, but it still hurts!" Ishida told him irritably. "And dammit, you're squirming again! You could at least bring me the first aid kit!"

"If it isn't painful, then it's probably not broken." Ichigo's tone was dismissive, and he ignored the way Ishida kept trying to push him away with his free hand. "Just wipe the blood on the sheets or something."

"Kurosaki, that's disgusting. Show a little more concern, for Heaven's sake!"

Ichigo wasn't listening to him, though. Instead he'd reached down into Ishida's lap as he attempted to get him hard again. Ishida slapped at his hand warningly, and Ichigo finally gave up. He flopped down onto his stomach and buried his face against the covers so that his voice was muffled when he spoke.

"Why is this happening to me? Why are you so *useless*? Why won't you let me *come*?"

His hips had started moving again, and he was practically humping the mattress in his frustration. Ishida knew that it was his fault for getting Ichigo so worked up in the first place, but it was also Ichigo's fault for doing something so stupid as delivering a punch in the middle of their foreplay.

He couldn't bring himself to be too sympathetic as Ichigo rolled onto his back and gazed up at him with a desperate expression. Usually, Ishida was unable to resist that 'take me now' look, but there wasn't really much that he could do with a flaccid penis and a bloody nose.

Ichigo was whimpering again, but even those little noises couldn't do much for Ishida's libido this time. He only glared when Ichigo started touching himself, and he couldn't even force himself to shiver when Ichigo sighed softly and called him by his given name.

Any of the above would have had him between Ichigo's legs like a shot if only he weren't in so much pain, and his powerlessness angered him more than he cared to admit.

He couldn't stand listening to Ichigo any longer, and he grit his teeth and closed his eyes when Ichigo called out for him once again.

"If I get you off, will you please call your father and ask him to fix this sorry situation?"

Ichigo nodded eagerly, and Ishida reached out with his free hand so that he could wrap it around Ichigo's arousal. Ishida's technique was poor to say the least, but taking time to please his lover was the very last thing on his mind right now. The possibility of a broken nose was more demanding than Ichigo's satisfaction, but Ishida continued to stroke him absently as he leaned his head forward and tried not to drip too much blood on the bed.

He was usually good at multi-tasking, but he heard no complaints from Ichigo's end. Then again, Ichigo was so far gone that he would have probably come just from grinding his hips against the mattress. At least Ishida's fingers weren't likely to give him friction burns.

The thought wasn't all that reassuring, but it didn't take much longer before Ichigo's cries grew louder, and Ishida knew that he was close to climaxing. An evil little voice spoke up inside his head, telling him to move his hand away so that Ichigo could suffer just like he was suffering now, but even he wasn't cruel enough to actually do such a thing.

And so, Ichigo came in a happy rush, and Ishida gave him a moment to come back to his senses. It was only when he glanced over at Ichigo's face that he saw how utterly relaxed his features were. If that hadn't been much of a clue, the faint snores he emitted were also something of a giveaway, and Ishida turned an angry shade of red when he realised that Ichigo had fallen asleep on him before he could make good on his promise.

So much for the guy who swore that he'd never go back on his word.

It didn't seem to matter how clingy, possessive or needy Ishida could be, because Ichigo still had a talent for getting under his skin, even when he wasn't actually conscious of doing it. That talent was what kept Ishida remember just how *irritating* Ichigo could be, and as he looked from one stained hand to the other, he swore that he'd get his revenge, in this life or the next.

 

End.


	7. Seven

Title: Hero  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Shounen ai, humour, Ishida dorkiness (you might find yourself cringing on his behalf)  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Themes used: #6 (the space between dream and reality) and #29 (the sound of waves)

~~

In reality, Ishida Uryuu was a skinny, geeky, awkward boy. He was polite, well mannered and respectful to most of his peers. He also enjoyed things like sewing and cooking, and he always preferred to design his own clothes.

In short, he was like a walking advertisement for Gay Pride.

In his fantasies, however, he was a completely different person. He was dashing and heroic, not to mention perfectly handsome. People looked at him and swooned (but only if they were male, of course. There was no point in having a woman getting starry-eyed over his God-given talents). They admired him. They looked up to him. Most of all, they wanted him in their pants.

Well, one person wanted Ishida in his pants, but Ishida had yet to turn his dreams into something more realistic. Kurosaki Ichigo would never swoon over him in real life. He'd never even allow Ishida to kiss him. Ishida would only get a punch in the face for his efforts.

It was safer to retreat into the world of his fantasies. It was also a good way to pass the time during Math class.

Ishida was smart. He always had been. Studying came easily to him, and he enjoyed learning almost as much as he enjoyed doing embroidery. Most other students would cringe at the very idea, but Ishida was proud of his number one ranking, and feeling superior was one of the things that Ishida liked most of all.

He'd never gotten detention, he'd never gotten a tardy (well, only once, and that had been the fault of Menos Grande), and he'd never gotten anything less than an 'A' in all of his subjects. Gym class didn't count, which was why Ishida ignored the fact that he was on the verge of failing that course altogether. He had better things to do with his time than turning up and participating, and besides, good grades in Physical Education weren't going to help put him into an elite university.

Apart from that, all of his other classes were good, and that was why Ishida could afford to tune out the teacher's voice as he concentrated on creating his own little inner movie.

To Ishida, coming up with a good fantasy was like weaving a basket. It took time to draw all of the strips together, and he was a perfectionist, so he refused to settle for anything less than the best. He wasn't afraid of trashing one project and starting over again from scratch if it displeased him, and his fantasies were no different.

At first, he started off with the basics - himself. He could picture his own image in his mind's eye, and he paused for a moment as he wondered what he ought to wear. Obviously, he'd have a cape, a long, flowing one that made him look dramatic and powerful.

Ishida thought about what he would wear under it, and eventually, he decided that a traditional Quincy costume would be best. Besides, he looked good in white, and the uniform of his clan suited him perfectly. At least Ishida thought it did. Ichigo still had a tendency to raise one eyebrow or snicker whenever he saw it, but Ishida chose to ignore all that.

Honestly, Ichigo could be such a *child* sometimes.

Still, Ishida enjoyed dressing him up in his fantasies, and he pursed his lips as he focused on picturing Ichigo. That plain old school uniform had no place in Ishida's carefully constructed inner world. He didn't want to see Ichigo's beloved tee shirts, either. Those awful English slogans didn't even make sense, and the colours could be pretty eye watering sometimes.

Ishida wished that Ichigo would take more pride in his appearance. He was a very attractive boy, after all, and he needed to wear things that flattered and complimented his looks. That Shinigami uniform was an eyesore, but Ishida had to admit that it made Ichigo look good. He supposed it wouldn't be too much of a pain to let Ichigo wear one in his fantasy, and now that their outfits had been chosen, he decided to iron out the little creases that he couldn't seem to get rid of in his waking life.

Ishida wasn't exactly short, but he resented the fact that Ichigo was a whole three centimetres taller than him. His rational side knew that they were basically the same height more or less, and that three centimetres were nothing for him to stress about, but he couldn't help worrying and worrying over it.

Still, it was *his* fantasy. He could do whatever he wanted in it. He could *be* whatever he wanted in it.

That was why he found himself adding another three centimetres to his own height so that he stood evenly with Ichigo. It wasn't enough, though. If he was to play the part of the hero, then he ought to be taller still, so he added another three centimetres... then another... then another...

It got to the point where the top of Ichigo's head only just reached Ishida's shoulder, and although it was *extremely* satisfying to look down on Ichigo in such a way, Ishida had to admit that although he liked the idea of Ichigo being shorter than he was, he didn't want him to be dwarf-like or anything. That would be just freaky.

And so, he added a couple more inches to Ichigo's height, until eventually, he was happy.

Rhyme or reason never really applied to Ishida's fantasy world, but this time, he chose to come up with a good reason as to why he and Ichigo would stumble across each other's paths. If he was to be the hero, then he ought to act heroic by coming to Ichigo's rescue.

A slow smirk spread over Ishida's face as he imagined Ichigo torn and bleeding, wounded by a Hollow that was far too strong for him to deal with. Ishida knew that as the hero, he ought to make a dramatic entrance, so he pictured a flash of lightning in the background, coupled with the crash of thunder, as his cape billowed impressively behind him in the wind.

Both Ichigo and the Hollow turned to stare at him, and Ichigo's eyes were wide with disbelief. Ishida gave him a reassuring wink before turning his attention to the Hollow. When he spoke, his voice was deep and commanding, and it made the Hollow shiver visibly to hear it.

"You are a vile creature. You do not belong in this world, nor do you have any right to harm a friend of mine. Because of that, you will be punished severely. Repent for your sins and begone!"

Ishida drew his bow (which was at least three times its normal size), and shot the Hollow right between the eyes with an accuracy that would have put William Tell to shame. It screamed in agony as it began to vanish, and Ishida ran to Ichigo's side.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly as he helped Ichigo to his feet. Ichigo was still shaking, and he winced a little as Ishida lifted his bloodstained hand.

"I'm okay," he murmured. "I was really out of my depth back there, though. Thanks for saving me, Ishida."

"Call me Uryuu," Ishida instructed as he rubbed his thumb tenderly over the back of Ichigo's hand. "It's a strong, masculine name for a strong, masculine man. I would like very much to hear it coming from those luscious lips of yours."

Ichigo blushed and looked away shyly, but Ishida took hold of his chin with his free hand and directed Ichigo's gaze back to his.

"I'm sorry," Ichigo said, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "I must be such a burden to you. Shinigami really are unnecessary in this world. I should have realised sooner that the Quincy are superior."

"Don't worry about such trivial matters," Ishida told him gently. "Besides, such a pretty face should never look so sad and troubled."

Ichigo's blush deepened in true maiden-like fashion. "You flatter me too much," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't deserve such praise."

"You deserve all that and more," Ishida said as he stroked a thumb over Ichigo's lower lip. "You must be terribly shaken after your ordeal, though. Allow me to make things better."

And with that, he learned down and claimed Ichigo's mouth with his own. Ichigo yielded to him instantly, practically melting into Ishida's embrace. Ishida could feel the press of Ichigo's body against his own. He could even hear the sound of waves crashing in the distance (which was slightly odd seeing as he hadn't actually pictured an ocean in his mind, but he chose to ignore it).

Ichigo was trembling when they parted, and he gazed up at his rescuer with awe-struck eyes. "Ishida..."

Ishida shook his head and stroked his fingers over Ichigo's cheek. "Don't say that, beloved. Call me Uryuu instead."

"Ishida..."

The archer found himself frowning slightly in confusion. "I know you must have been through a lot, but is it really so difficult for you to say my given name?"

"Ishida..."

"It's all right. You can say it if you try."

"ISHIDA, IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP RIGHT THIS SECOND, I SWEAR I'M GOING TO POUR MY JUICE ALL OVER THAT STUPID HEAD OF YOURS!"

Ishida was confused. Damsels in distress weren't supposed to yell. They weren't supposed to say things like that, either. It was almost like the *real* Ichigo had made his way into his fantasy somehow and-

"OI, ARE YOU DEAD? OPEN YOUR EYES!"

Ishida snapped back to reality with a jolt, and found himself with Ichigo towering over his desk and glaring at him. "Where am I?" he asked drowsily.

"You're at school, idiot," Ichigo told him in a withering fashion as he cuffed Ishida over the back of the head. "Where else *would* you be?"

Ishida stared around the empty classroom in shock. "Where is everyone?"

"They left when the ball rang five minutes ago. You're going to miss the rest of break if you don't hurry up. Just be thankful that the teacher didn’t yell you at. She seemed to think it was funny to see you drooling all over yourself."

Ishida's cheeks flushed guiltily, and he quickly raised a hand to wipe his mouth. "Ah... sorry about that. You shouldn't have waited behind for me, though."

"I didn't wait behind for you," Ichigo said, rolling his eyes. "You were just being really hard to wake up for some reason, and you had this huge stupid grin on your face the whole time. Did you have a good dream or something?"

"It was pretty nice," Ishida confessed. "But it's nothing you need to know about."

"Sheesh, you're always so freaking *touchy*! Keep the dumb dream to yourself, if it's really that important. Let's eat lunch before I starve already."

Ishida nodded and gathered up his bag as he followed Ichigo out of the classroom. It was a shame to have been shaken out of his fantasy world so rudely, but as he and Ichigo made their way up to the roof, he had to admit that reality had its benefits, too.

 

End.


	8. Eight

Title: Things Fall Apart  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: NC-17  
Warnings: Yaoi lemon, angst  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #27 (overflow)

~~

It was dark and it was raining. The sky had been pouring all day long, and Ishida picked his way carefully along the streets as he tried not to get too wet. He did have an umbrella with him, but he didn't want the paper bag full of groceries in his free arm to get spoiled, and so he walked slower than he usually would as he followed the road back home.

It was only by chance that he saw Kurosaki Ichigo, and even then, he had to feel for his reiraku to make sure that he'd gotten the right person. Not that there were many people in Karakura with that particular hair colour, but Ichigo had been too far away for Ishida to really get a proper glimpse of him.

What he could manage to see, however, made him frown slightly. He knew better than anyone how much of an idiot Ichigo could be sometimes, but even he wasn't dense enough to wander around on such a miserable night wearing nothing but a thin tee shirt and a ragged-looking pair of jeans.

If the rain was bothering him, then he showed no sign of it. He merely continued walking quickly, almost mechanically, and Ishida's frowned deepened as Ichigo finally disappeared from sight. What Ichigo did wasn't really any of his business - not that Ishida was the type of person to interfere in any case - but Ishida couldn't help feeling a nagging little twinge of concern in the back of his mind.

Ishida still wasn't too good when it came to reading and understanding his fellow human beings, but even he could sense that there wasn't something quite right about Ichigo. He'd never really been a loner, unlike Ishida, so it seemed strange to see him wandering around on his own.

Again, Ishida tried to tell himself that he had nothing to do with Ichigo and whatever else was troubling him, but after another moment of dithering, he finally sighed and started to walk in the direction where Ichigo had been heading. He supposed it couldn't hurt just to check on him and see what he was up to. After all, Ichigo did have a special talent for getting himself into trouble, and Ishida smirked a little at the thought of Ichigo being indebted to him for helping out.

Satisfied that it would just be yet another way for him to prove the superiority of the Quincy, Ishida quickened his pace. He'd already lost sight of Ichigo, but tracking him wasn't a problem. Even though Ishida had warned him about letting his spiritual energy leak out so carelessly, Ichigo seemed to neither care nor be able to control it to any extent. Whatever the reason, Ishida could still sense his presence a mile away, but then again, he had always been sensitive to Ichigo's power.

It was just another one of the little things that troubled Ishida on a daily basis, and it was right up there with buttons and the word 'haphazard'. It irritated him, but it was also a part of his life, and at least with Ichigo around, it meant that there would never be a dull moment.

Ichigo probably had no idea that he was being followed, and Ishida found his lips curving upwards once again as he tugged absently at the quivering red thread in his hand. It just proved how useless the Shinigami really were if Ichigo couldn't even notice what was underneath his very own nose.

It was only when Ishida passed the signpost that marked the way to the local cemetery that his smirk began to fade. He could just see Ichigo nearing the top of the hill, and he paused when he reached the foot of it as he tried to figure out what he ought to do now.

The cemetery was completely empty, but that didn't seem to bother Ichigo, and again Ishida found himself wondering if he should continue to follow or not. He and Ichigo weren't exactly the best of friends, but even he would never intrude upon someone else's private time in a place like this.

He didn't like to admit it, but he was worried, and that was why he found himself trudging slowly up the hill that Ichigo had just climbed. He had to stop a couple of times on the way, once to catch his breath, and then again so that he could wipe the fog away from his glasses.

Ishida realised that he was purposely giving Ichigo time to deal with whatever it was that had made him come out on such a night, and he tried to pretend that he was only being leisurely because of the circumstances. The rain kept misting up his glasses, and having to juggle an umbrella and a bag of groceries in one arm while he used his free hand to wipe his spectacles clean was awkward and irritating.

Really, he just didn't want to acknowledge the fact that Ichigo was the cause for his slowness.

Eventually he reached the top, and after that, he turned left, as Ichigo had done. It didn't take him long to spot the redhead crouched down by one of the nearby graves, and although Ishida had guessed by now who it probably belonged to, the characters that spelled out 'Kurosaki' on the tombstone told him everything he needed to know.

Ichigo had his back to him, but he still showed no sign of picking up on Ishida's presence. Ishida wasn't even trying to mask it, but this time, he couldn't bring himself to feel smug about the inferiority of the Shinigami. Not when Ichigo was kneeling with his head bowed as the clouds above drenched him from head to toe as he silently paid his respects.

Even though Ishida was wearing a coat, he found himself shivering slightly as he stared, and he wondered how Ichigo could stand to be so cold. Then he found himself narrowing his eyes. Ichigo would probably make himself sick if he hung around any longer, and although Ishida really didn't enjoy having to eat lunch with him every day on the roof, he also didn't appreciate having to change one of his routines. If Ichigo was absent due to illness, then it meant that he'd have to suffer the antics of Keigo and Mizuiro alone for the second time in as many days, and Ishida didn't like the idea in the slightest.

That was why he finally made himself known by stepping up behind Ichigo and leaning forward slightly so that he could shield him from the pouring rain with his umbrella. He expected Ichigo to look up in response, and he found himself twitching slightly when Ichigo didn't even move.

"Hey, Kurosaki. Are you in there?"

Even though he spoke quietly, his voice sounded far too loud in the silence of the cemetery, and it wasn't until Ishida poked him in the back with the toe of his shoe that Ichigo finally glanced over his shoulder.

"Ishida? What are you doing out on a night like this?"

Again, Ishida twitched. "That's *my* line. At least I'm dressed appropriately. Why aren't you wearing a jacket?"

Ichigo looked down at himself in mild surprise as though he'd only just noticed the fact that it was missing. "It's at home... I think."

"And what good is it going to do if you left your coat at *home*?"

"Well, I didn't think that I'd need it."

It took all of Ishida's patience for him not to move his foot again and deliver a kick to the spot that he'd just poked. He didn't know how, but he'd forgotten just how irritating Ichigo could be sometimes. He didn't know if Ichigo was trying his patience on purpose, but he did know that a graveyard wasn't really the place for anger and violence.

"Kurosaki, you can be dense at the best of times, but you're never spacey. Is there a reason as to why you're happily getting drenched like this?"

"Yeah, there is. It's the anniversary of the day my mother was killed."

Ishida immediately wished that he hadn't said anything. He wished that he hadn't followed Ichigo, and while he was at it, he wished that he hadn't even caught sight of him on his way back from shopping.

He was the idiot for not realising it sooner. He remembered the way their homeroom teacher had shrugged when she'd called out Ichigo's name on the register and gotten no response. He remembered the way Tatsuki had glanced out of the window pensively while Orihime gazed over at Ichigo's empty seat in concern. He even remembered Rukia brushing past him in the hallway after class and muttering for him to stay alert in case there happened to be trouble later on.

There hadn't been any trouble, though, and nobody remarked on Ichigo's conspicuous absence. They hadn't even dared.

Ishida looked up at the sky, but the rain showed no sign of stopping. Ichigo showed no sign of moving either, and Ishida wondered if he was planning on staying in the cemetery all night long.

"You're going to catch a cold if you stay out here any longer," he said finally. "The rain isn't letting up."

"That's okay," Ichigo said with a shrug. "I'm already wet."

Ishida grabbed the back of Ichigo's tee shirt and hauled him to his feet. "Come with me. If I leave you like this, it's going to be on my conscience all night long."

Surprisingly, Ichigo didn't resist as Ishida guided him over to the exit. He stumbled a little but righted himself just in time, and he allowed Ishida to push him along until finally, he stopped.

"This isn't the way to my house," he announced, looking mildly confused.

"I know," Ishida told him. "I'm taking you back to my place."

He waited for Ichigo to protest, or at least ask questions, but none were forthcoming. The two of them continued to walk in silence, and Ishida held the umbrella carefully so that it covered the both of them.

He handed it over to Ichigo when they reached his apartment complex, and fumbled in the pocket of his pants for his key. If he hadn't motioned for Ichigo to step inside once he'd opened the door, the redhead probably would have just stayed at the entrance and continued to stare up at the sky.

Ishida quickly hung up his coat, then put the umbrella in its stand before slipping off his shoes and telling Ichigo to wait where he was. The kitchen was his first port of call, and after filling the kettle and switching it on, he disappeared into the bathroom to retrieve a towel and a spare robe.

He tossed the towel in Ichigo's direction, but Ichigo failed to make the catch. It wasn't until Ishida picked it up and pushed it firmly into his hands that Ichigo actually bothered to look down at the object.

"Dry yourself off," Ishida instructed. "I don't want you dripping all over my apartment."

Ichigo stared at the towel as though he'd never even seen one before until eventually Ishida lost his patience and snatched it out of his hands. He rubbed it roughly over Ichigo's head as he attempted to mop up the excess moisture from his hair. Once he'd finished that, he stepped back a little and handed the towel back to Ichigo. Any other time and he might have laughed at the way Ichigo's hair fluffed up every which way after his vigorous rubbing, but Ichigo's expression was as blank and lost as it had been when Ishida had first spotted him earlier that evening.

"I'll leave you to finish the rest by yourself, and when you're done drying, you can change out of your clothes and put this on instead."

Ichigo accepted the robe with one hand while absently tugging his shirt up with the other.

"Jeez, Kurosaki, change in the bathroom like a normal person! I never asked you to strip in the hallway!"

Ichigo wandered off without complaint, and Ishida found himself sighing as the bathroom door clicked shut. He hoped that Ichigo would snap out of his daze once he'd managed to warm up a little, because he really didn't know how to deal with him when he was like this. He was familiar with the teasing, and even the tentative friendship that they shared, but he wasn't sure how to act when Ichigo wasn't being his usual self.

Instead of thinking about it, though, Ishida chose to busy himself by making tea. He'd only just poured it when the bathroom door opened up again and Ichigo stepped out. Ishida was so used to seeing Ichigo in the Shinigami's black uniform that it felt strange to see him wearing white. Like his odd behaviour, it didn't seem right, and it made him look pale and washed-out.

"It's cold," Ichigo said vaguely as he rubbed his arms under his sleeves.

"*You're* cold," Ishida corrected. "The apartment is warm enough. Maybe you'd realise that if you hadn't spent so much time wandering around in the rain."

Once again he got the feeling that something wasn't quite right. Whenever he prodded Ichigo verbally like this, Ichigo's temper would immediately flare up, and they'd sail straight into yet another argument. It wasn't like Ichigo to let an insult or a criticism slide, and it made Ishida feel awkward not knowing how Ichigo would choose to react.

Ichigo had always been satisfyingly predictable, and Ishida tended to take a certain amount of pride in knowing how to needle him. Their bickering was irritating but also familiar. It was even comforting in a way, because no matter how the world around him changed, Ishida had always assumed that his relationship with Ichigo would stay the same.

He supposed he ought to have known better. Nothing in this universe was absolute. He'd learned that the day his grandfather had died.

After he'd gotten Ichigo settled in front of one of the heaters, Ishida made him drink the tea that he'd handed over. It took a few minutes but eventually, Ichigo's shivering ceased, and a little of the colour returned to his cheeks. When he looked over at Ishida again, it was like he could actually *see* him this time, and Ishida felt a tiny twinge of relief at the glimmer of recognition in Ichigo's eyes.

For a while, neither one of them spoke up. The only sound in the room was that of the rain beating heavily against the windows, and Ishida stared out into the gloom. The sound of Ichigo's voice made him start, and when he turned to look at his companion, Ishida noticed that Ichigo had followed his gaze over to the window.

"It was raining like this when my mom was killed." The tone of Ichigo's voice was, conversational, almost casual, as though this was the kind of thing that everybody tended to talk about over tea. "Did it rain when your sensei died?"

Ishida shifted slightly and crossed his arms over his chest. "No, it didn't rain. The sun was shining, though. It was a normal day."

"A normal day, huh?" Ichigo frowned pensively and took another sip of his drink. "Do you miss him?"

"Sometimes," Ishida said, somewhat evasively. "I don't like to think about it much."

"Me either... except for this day. It always makes me think too much."

Ishida cleared his throat. "I can't give you any advice, Kurosaki, and if you want coddling, then you've come to the wrong person, but... if you feel like talking, I'll listen."

That was when Ichigo looked at him, *really* looked at him, and a half-hearted smirk tugged at his lips. "Rukia said the same thing. Even Inoue was overly nice to me yesterday. I know they both meant well, but I can't stand to have them worrying."

"That's because they care," Ishida told him matter-of-factly. "They're also girls. Even if you tell them not to feel sorry for you, they probably will. It's in their nature. Is that why you tried to drown yourself tonight?"

Ichigo blinked in bewilderment. "Drown myself? Nah, I just felt like walking, and somehow, I ended up in the cemetery. I've already been there once today and I wasn't planning on going again, but," he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, "I guess I just wanted to visit her. Not that she's actually *there* or anything. Her soul got eaten, after all."

Ishida winced in sympathy. The same thought struck him every time he went to visit his grandfather's grave, and he pushed it out of his mind as he reached over and pried Ichigo's empty cup out of his fingers. "Stay there. I'll go make some more tea."

Ichigo grabbed onto his sleeve before he could leave the room, and Ishida froze.

"You know how it feels, don't you?" Ichigo said quietly. "You're the only one who understands what it's like. Only you..."

Ishida's eyes widened. "What are you trying to say, Kurosaki?"

Once again, Ichigo's face took on that lost look, and something tightened in Ishida's chest. He could only watch as Ichigo rose unsteadily to his feet, and he found himself swallowing when Ichigo's gaze fixed itself onto his. It was unnerving to be scrutinised so closely, and Ishida wished he knew what Ichigo was thinking.

Ichigo's eyes continued to search his face until eventually he seemed to find what he was looking for. It didn't even seem real somehow as he leaned in and pressed his lips to Ishida's, and the archer only came back to himself when he heard the crash of shattering ceramic.

Ichigo pulled away and Ishida looked down to see that he'd dropped the cup that he'd been carrying, but then gentle fingers came to rest against his chin, turning his face so that he was staring back at Ichigo.

Ishida didn't know what to think. He could read the emotions in Ichigo's eyes as plain as day, and he wished more than anything that they weren't being directed towards him. He'd never seen Ichigo this open before, and it felt wrong for him to be so vulnerable. Ishida wanted to yell at him for revealing his weaknesses so easily, but he couldn't tear his gaze away. He couldn't bear to see the guilt and the longing on Ichigo's face.

"Go home, Kurosaki," he said, speaking slowly in an effort to keep his voice from trembling. "You shouldn't be here."

Ichigo shook his head stubbornly. "I want to stay for a while."

Ishida tried to push him away. "Don't you dare reach out to me like this. You don't even know what you're doing."

"No, I don't," said Ichigo in agreement. "But you can show me, can't you?"

Ishida lashed out instinctively and the sharp, stinging sound of his slap resonated in the empty air. Ichigo's eyes were wide with shock, and Ishida found himself regretting his action immediately. Ichigo's left cheek was tinged with red, and Ishida knew that the mark would only darken over time.

"Go home, Kurosaki," he said tiredly. "I'll lend you some clothes and my umbrella. You can return them tomorrow at school."

He led Ichigo into the bedroom and Ichigo followed meekly. He was even more subdued than he had been before, and Ishida had only himself to blame for that. He had hoped to make Ichigo snap out of it, but he'd only succeeded in making him worse.

He busied himself by searching through his drawers while Ichigo perched on the edge of his bed, and once he'd pulled out a clean pair of pants and a shirt, he turned and offered them, only to pause when he saw the look on Ichigo's face.

"Ishida..."

Ichigo seemed unsure of himself. Ishida merely sighed and placed the clothing down next to him. "What is it, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo frowned slightly and then seemed to make his decision. Ishida could only watch as he loosened the tie around his waist and parted his robe a little, letting it slide down over one shoulder and reveal a considerable amount of naked skin.

"I'm not totally stupid," Ichigo said in a low voice. "I've seen the way you stare at me sometimes."

Ishida's cheeks flushed guiltily. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Instead of answering, though, Ichigo gave a question in return for the one that Ishida had asked of him. "Do you really want me?"

Ishida shook his head. "Not like this." It was the truth, or as near as he could come to it. He would be lying to himself if he'd said that he hadn't wanted Ichigo, because he had. He'd wanted him for months now, and he couldn't stand to see the hurt in those eyes because of his words. "Kurosaki, you aren't yourself. You're acting too weird. You'd better leave before you do something you might regret."

Ichigo's expression was furious, and for a second, Ishida found himself being relieved. He could deal with Ichigo's anger, after all, and he expected Ichigo to start arguing or at least offer an insult, but Ichigo surprised him when he grabbed hold of his collar and yanked him down onto the bed.

"I'd punch you if I didn't need you so damn much right now," Ichigo growled as he wriggled so that he'd gotten Ishida's body positioned above his own. "I know I'm not myself, otherwise I wouldn't be doing something this insane. I don't care if it's one night or even a regular thing, but... we can do this. *I* can do this. Whatever you want, Ishida..."

Ishida glared down at him. "Don't tempt me, Kurosaki. I said it before and I'll say it again - you don't know what you're doing."

Ichigo merely smirked. "Oh really? We'll just have to see about that."

Ishida couldn't hold back a gasp when Ichigo began moving his hips. Neither one of them were hard yet, but Ichigo seemed determined to change that as he wound his arms around Ishida's neck and pulled him down so that their lips were almost touching.

"Kiss me," he whispered. "Please..."

Ishida shivered helplessly. He knew that he shouldn't be doing this, he knew that he ought to push Ichigo away, but his body seemed to move all on its own as their mouths finally made contact. Ichigo's lips parted under his, and Ishida knew that Ichigo was just waiting for him to take control.

He'd meant to be gentle. He'd meant to be careful. Instead, he attacked Ichigo with a fervour that he himself was taken aback by. He'd thought about kissing Ichigo before. He'd even dreamed about it, and now that Ichigo was actually in his bed, Ishida couldn't seem to hold himself back.

He'd meant what he'd said earlier, though. He hadn't wanted Ichigo like this. Ishida felt as though he was taking advantage of him, but Ichigo returned his kisses with enthusiasm, letting Ishida know without words that the situation was perfectly fine with him.

Still, Ishida couldn't help wondering. 'Whatever you want,' Ichigo had told him. Ishida could understand Ichigo's need to feel at a time like this when he was vulnerable, but he couldn't imagine Ichigo wanting to do this again with him when he was back to normal.

Ishida couldn't stand the idea of having only one night together. He couldn't stand the idea of being intimate with Ichigo, only to pretend that it hadn't even happened as they went about their daily lives.

Ichigo wasn't the only one who needed to feel. He wasn't the only one who wanted to connect with somebody who could truly understand him. Ishida's desire to make Ichigo acknowledge him had driven him for months before they'd actually spoken. He'd watched and studied Ichigo to the point of obsession, and now that the opportunity to learn more about him had fallen right in front of him, Ishida grabbed it with both hands.

Maybe Ichigo would end up hating him once this was over, but Ishida had to take his chance.

His hand slid down between their bodies before he even knew what he was doing, but Ichigo didn't stop him as Ishida undid the tie around his waist completely. He parted Ichigo's robe slowly and Ichigo let him, lying perfectly still as Ishida's eyes roamed over his bare chest.

Ishida could hear the sound of his own panting, and it signalled his growing excitement as he let his fingers wander where his gaze had been previously. He still couldn't quite believe that he was actually touching Ichigo, that Ichigo was actually *allowing* it. Ichigo's skin felt smooth and warm, and Ishida's hands explored to his heart's content.

He only stopped what he was doing when Ichigo reached up and began to unfasten the buttons of his shirt. Once he'd worked the article off, he removed his glasses, and then wound his arms around Ishida's shoulders to pull him closer. Ishida went willingly, closing his eyes and searching blindly for Ichigo's mouth.

Their kisses were hot and hungry, and there was an edge of desperation to Ichigo's movements as he squirmed under Ishida with a muffled groan. His arms tightened and his legs came up to wrap around Ishida's waist. It was like he couldn't get close enough no matter how hard he tried, and he seemed frustrated as he arched his neck, exposing his throat.

Ishida's lips found their way there immediately, and he kissed and licked and sucked at Ichigo's skin. He tasted faintly of soap and rainwater, and Ishida was eager to find out what he tasted like elsewhere.

Ichigo's hips were moving again, and this time, Ishida responded by shifting so that his lower body was cradled comfortably between Ichigo's legs. Ichigo's hands had begun to drift over Ishida's back, pausing momentarily when they reached the waistband of his pants before moving further down to take hold of his ass.

Now Ishida understood how Ichigo had felt earlier when he couldn't seem to get close enough. His hips were lunging against Ichigo's, and Ichigo ground back against him anxiously. Ishida ached to be closer still, and although he knew that he ought to slow down, he couldn't bear to relax and take things easier. It was like he had to be quick about this, before Ichigo ended up changing his mind.

He had to ask, though, and it took a supreme amount of effort to halt his movements. "Kurosaki... are you okay?"

Ichigo stared back at him blankly, and Ishida realised what a stupid question it had been. "Aa... I'm okay," Ichigo said after a while. "I'm good. Really."

Ishida didn't know why he found himself hesitating all of a sudden, and he wished that he could let his mind switch off again so that the needs of his body could take over. Again, it was something that he had to ask. "Have you ever done this before?"

"No," Ichigo confessed. "Have you?" Ishida shook his head. "But you know what you're doing, so it's fine. *I* know what I'm doing. I want this, too."

"Why?" Ishida wanted to know. He wanted to understand. "Why now?"

Ichigo looked away and closed his eyes. "Because you were kind. Because you know how it feels. Because I couldn't do this with anybody else. Only you, Ishida."

The archer smirked humourlessly. "You hate me. I hate you. So why?"

Now it was Ichigo's turn to smirk. "Because we can?" He opened his eyes again and bore them into Ishida's. "I don't want to think anymore. I just want to forget. You can help me. *I* can help *you*. No more talking from now on, all right? It'll only ruin things."

It seemed that they'd finally agreed, on one point at least.

Ichigo tried to pull Ishida down into another kiss, but Ishida resisted. "Wait here for a moment," he said as he managed to untangle himself from Ichigo. Ichigo whined softly but let him go, and Ishida quickly got off the bed and made his way over to the bathroom.

When he returned, it was to find that Ichigo had wriggled the rest of the way out of his robe and was now sprawled naked over the bed. Ishida's breath caught in his throat and he stared longingly at the sight. Ichigo noticed, and he crooked his index finger in a 'come hither' fashion as he spread his legs invitingly.

Ishida wasn't about to turn decline the offer, and he hurriedly stripped away the rest of his clothing before letting Ichigo pull him back up beside him. His mouth sought out Ichigo's instinctively, and they kissed as though Ishida had been gone for days rather than a mere matter of minutes.

Ichigo let loose a startled cry when Ishida slid a hand down to curl around his cock, and he quickly buried his face against the side of Ishida's neck in order to muffle his other noises as Ishida began to stroke him. Ishida's other hand wasn't idle, and he worked on uncapping the jar of Vaseline that he'd taken from the bathroom before scooping out the contents with his fingers.

Ichigo didn't even notice when those fingers moved down to his opening, though he tensed a little when he felt them. They rubbed against him but didn't press inside, and Ichigo gradually relaxed again as Ishida continued to tease his erection.

He didn't protest when Ishida slipped his middle finger inside, just bit down lightly on Ishida's shoulder and shivered in response. His teeth closed down harder when another finger joined the first, but Ishida was slow and gave him time to adjust to the sensation. Ichigo actually moaned when he withdrew both fingers, and Ishida quieted him with a kiss as he gathered up more of the jelly.

Ichigo only seemed to grow more impatient when Ishida went back to stretching him, and he dipped his own fingers into the jar, coating them with Vaseline and smearing it carelessly over Ishida's cock. Ishida hissed and jerked his hips, and Ichigo reached down to tug at his wrist, signalling that he wanted more, *now*.

Ishida wasn't sure whether he ought to have waited or not, but the sound of Ichigo's moans were affecting him more than he cared to admit. It didn't take long for him to get them positioned, and it was easier still to thrust into Ichigo, sliding smoothly until he was all the way inside.

Ichigo had buried his face against his shoulder again, and Ishida could hear the soft sounds of his gasps and pants. It was like Ichigo was struggling to actually breathe properly, and Ishida wondered if he were in pain. Before he could open his mouth to speak, though, Ichigo got there first.

"Move," he whispered.

Ishida wished that he could see Ichigo's face, but Ichigo refused to turn his head. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Just *move*."

And Ishida did.

It felt incredible to have Ichigo's body accept him like this. Ishida could hear himself moaning as he began to pump in and out, slowly at first, but then increasing his tempo as Ichigo grunted into his ear for him to go faster.

Ishida knew that he should at least try to hold himself back, but Ichigo kept saying the same word over and over again. He wanted it harder, and Ishida found himself obeying his breathless demands until finally, he was throwing all of his weight into his thrusts as Ichigo clung to him for dear life.

The headboard of the bed thumped rhythmically against the wall, but Ishida could barely hear it over the sounds of his own noises. He was losing himself in Ichigo, and rapidly reaching the point where he could no longer even think properly.

It took him a while to notice the wetness against his shoulder, and his eyes widened in alarm when he realised that Ichigo was actually crying. His movements began to falter immediately, but Ichigo groaned in disapproval and bucked his hips.

"Don't stop!" he hissed. "Don't you *dare*!"

Ishida's hips were already starting to slow, though, and Ichigo whined as they finally came to a halt. Ichigo's glare was just as fierce as ever when Ishida pulled back slightly in order to look at him, but the tearstains on his face gave him a vulnerable edge and made his anger seem only half-hearted.

"You're crying," he said softly.

"Shut up!" Ichigo snapped, bucking his hips once again. "I told you not to stop!"

"But you're crying..."

"I said shut up!"

Suddenly, Ishida understood. "It wasn't your fault, Kurosaki. Don't punish yourself for something that you weren't able to control."

"Quit talking, dammit!" Ichigo said viciously. "I don't want to hear this!"

Ishida shook his head. "You don't want to listen, you don't want to think... what *do* you want, Kurosaki?"

"Isn't it obvious, jerk? I want you to shut your mouth and fuck me already!"

Ishida narrowed his eyes and shifted his weight to his left hand so that he could raise his right. Ichigo cringed, obviously expecting another slap, but Ishida merely trailed a fingertip over his cheek.

"You're a bastard, Kurosaki," Ishida told him, almost fondly. "You know that, right? I hate you for shoving all of your problems onto my shoulders like this. You're a pain in the ass, but I can't turn my back on you. 'Stop dwelling on the past and start walking forward instead'. That's what you said to me once. You should take your own advice."

He leaned down to press a chaste kiss against Ichigo's forehead, and it was like Ichigo broke completely as he closed his eyes and surrendered. Ishida began to move again, rocking Ichigo's body gently and kissing away his tears. It felt good to be needed, if only for one night.

A long time ago, his grandfather had told him that people became strong only when they had something to protect. At the time, Ishida didn't understand, but now he seemed to grow a little closer to making sense of those words.

Ichigo's strength far surpassed his own. Ishida knew and admitted this. However, he also knew that even the most powerful person could falter sometimes, as evinced by the fact that Ichigo seemed to have temporarily lost his way.

Ishida still didn't know who or what he wanted to protect, but he did have a burning desire to keep Ichigo strong somehow. He didn't want to see him weak or helpless, because that just wasn't who Ichigo was.

Ichigo had wanted to forget about what had happened in the past, but if he did, he would lose one of the things that drove him on. That was why Ishida wouldn't let him forget, wouldn't let him block it out. Ichigo needed those memories, even if they were painful, and Ishida kept his gaze fixed firmly on Ichigo's as he told him that it wasn't his fault, repeating the words over and over again like a mantra.

It didn't matter whether Ichigo actually believed those words or not, so long as Ishida managed to beat them into his brain. It was only when Ichigo reached out for him that Ishida responded by quickening his thrusts, reminding Ichigo without words that he wasn't alone, that neither one of them would ever be alone, as long as they had each other.

If Ishida was tired once it was over, it was nothing compared to Ichigo's exhaustion. He didn't protest or even move when Ishida withdrew from him, and when Ishida reached out to grab the box of tissues from the bedside table to clean him up, it somehow felt more intimate taking care of Ichigo like this than it had been to have sex with him.

"Do you still want to stay?" he asked, as he made himself comfortable by Ichigo's side. Ichigo managed a smirk and a small nod.

"If you'll have me, that is."

"Do you snore?"

"No, but I drool in my sleep sometimes."

"How disgusting. Just make sure you don't do it on me."

Ichigo didn't respond, and for a second, Ishida found himself growing worried, at least until he heard the sound of Ichigo's deep and even breathing. Things would probably be back to normal between them in the morning, and although Ishida knew that he wouldn't receive a word of thanks from Ichigo for all that he'd done, it didn't really bother him, because it meant that Ichigo would be himself again.

It was only when Ishida pulled the sheets up to cover Ichigo that he happened to glance at the window out the corner of his eye. The sky was calm and clear again. The rain had stopped at last.

 

End.


	9. Nine

Title: Rituals  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Shounen ai, humour  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #23 (candy)

~~

Kurosaki Ichigo was an idiot. It wasn't exactly news to Ishida Uryuu or anything, but Ichigo liked to remind him of the fact at least three times a day, just in case he ever decided to forget it. Ichigo also seemed to take a perverse sort of pleasure in pissing him off. Recently, he'd taken to jabbing Ishida repeatedly in the back with his pen during class, and it had irritated him so much that he'd actually requested to switch desks with one of the other students so that he wouldn't have to sit in front of Ichigo anymore.

Then, of course, there had been the time when Ichigo had stolen his glasses. He'd casually sauntered up to Ishida one day, tapped him on the shoulder, and when Ishida glanced up to meet his gaze, he’d slipped the spectacles away from his face and ran off with them.

Thankfully, Orihime had been chatting with Tatsuki at the other end of the room, and she offered her assistance when she noticed Ishida blindly feeling around for the exit. The two of them managed to track Ichigo down ten minutes later, and he'd brushed the whole thing off as 'just as joke'.

Ishida had failed to see the funny side.

It really did seem odd, though. Ichigo had always been fairly obnoxious, but now he was even more so. It was like he went out of his way to tease Ishida on purpose, which was strange seeing as Ichigo had never been the type to pick on or bully people.

Whatever the reason for Ichigo's strange behaviour, Ishida didn't appreciate being singled out. Oh, he wouldn't have minded Ichigo acknowledging his strength or even his myriad of God-given talents when it came to embroidery and crotchet, but it definitely bothered him to have Ichigo being at least ten times more annoying than usual.

That was why he'd gone off in search of Rukia. Ishida hoped that she, at least, would have some sort of answer as to why Ichigo was acting the way that he had been doing. The other girls surrounding Rukia had giggled and twittered when Ishida politely requested a moment alone with her, but Rukia merely nodded and followed him to one of the empty classrooms.

Ishida waited until she'd gotten herself seated on the edge of a nearby desk before opening his mouth to speak. For once in his life, he decided to forgo manners and tact, and just blurted out the question that he hoped she would know the appropriate response for.

"What's going on with Kurosaki?"

Rukia seemed taken-aback momentarily, but then she frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Ishida's brows knitted together in frustration, and he fiddled with his tie. "What I mean is that Kurosaki has been even... weirder than usual lately. Only to me, though. He pesters me, he pokes me, he steals my belongings... I don't know why he does it, but I want him to stop!"

The smirk that flitted over Rukia's face was truly evil, and her voice took on a sly tone when she spoke. "Are you *worried* about Ichigo?"

Ishida's fingers fumbled a little, and he tried to hide his nervous movements by fussily smoothing down the front of his shirt. "I would never be concerned about someone like Kurosaki. I couldn't care less about his safety and welfare!"

Rukia's smirk widened. "Oh? You certainly seemed concerned when you chose to save his life."

A dull blush broke out over Ishida's face, and he quickly looked away. "I did that because I hate the idea of being indebted to a Shinigami, especially one like Kurosaki. Besides, this isn't about concern. It's about Kurosaki and his foolishness!"

Rukia shrugged her shoulders disinterestedly. "You never seemed to mind his foolishness before."

Ishida narrowed his eyes. "That was different! Back then he was just stupid, but now he's stupid *and* annoying, and I want to find out why."

Rukia sighed. "Tell me... do you remember being about five or six years old?"

Ishida blinked in confusion at her seemingly random question. "Yes... but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, you know how little boys pick on little girls and do silly things like pull their hair or drop bugs onto their shoulders?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know *why* they do things like that?"

"Because... they're young and don't know any better?"

"And why do they not know any better?"

"Because... they're immature and... inexperienced?"

"*Exactly*!" Rukia smiled brightly. "Congratulations. You've just found your answer!"

Ishida shook his head. "I don't get it. How does that apply to Kurosaki?"

"He's immature, isn't he?"

"Definitely."

"He can be childish, right?"

"Unfortunately."

"And don't you think he's inexperienced?"

"In what?"

"Matters of the heart, of course!"

Ishida stuttered in disbelief. "Matters of the *what*?!"

"Of the heart!" Rukia stared at him pityingly. "Everyone knows that boys have a tremendous amount of trouble when it comes to talking about their true feelings. That's why they have to do moronic things when they're trying to get the attention of the person that they really like."

Ishida's blush returned full-force. "I still don't see what this has to do with my current situation."

Again, Rukia sighed. "You said it yourself, didn't you? Ichigo has been bothering you even more than usual. He can't come right out and say that he actually likes you, and that's why he works so hard on getting you to notice him. Just think of it as the retard's method of flirtation."

Ishida's eyes widened considerably. "Kurosaki is *flirting* with me?"

Rukia held up her index finger admonishingly. "Correction. He's *trying* to flirt. He's too young and stupid to know how to do it properly. Not that it matters, because if you like him too, you'll just flirt right back."

"M-me? Flirt with *Kurosaki*?"

"And why not? You *do* like him, don't you? And technically, you're the one who started off this mating ritual when you chose to confront him and then challenge him to a ridiculous match that endangered the lives of every citizen in town."

"*Mating* ritual?!"

"Yes. All humans have them. At least, that's what I've read. If the ritual is performed correctly, it will lead to copulation."

Ishida didn't know whether to pass out or have a nosebleed. "Copulation?"

Rukia nodded solemnly. "An exchange of bodily fluids between both parties."

Ishida staggered and quickly grabbed hold of a nearby desk so that he wouldn't fall. "*This* is what Kurosaki has been trying to say that he wants from me?"

Rukia smiled knowingly. "You have to think of it as a dance. You made the first move, and now Ichigo is responding. It's your turn to reciprocate his interest, and to give him what he's been asking for."

"So this is basically Kurosaki's way of saying 'let's make love'?"

"Correct. Ichigo is being coy. He's showing that he's willing to play this little game with you."

"And what should I do next?"

"Obviously, you have to prove your dominance. If he's ready to submit to you, then he'll let you mount him."

"Kuchiki-san, please don't talk about us like we're animals. It's slightly disturbing."

"But it's the same principle, more or less. Ichigo is sending out the right signals, but you need to be more direct. Try mounting him in the shower room after gym class and see if he accepts you as his mate."

Ishida rubbed at his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Do I really have to do something like that?"

Rukia's expression was stern. "Of course. Pretend to accidentally drop the soap and ask him to pick it up for you. Then, when he's down on all fours, get into position and-"

"But it's the *shower* room! All the other guys will be there, watching!"

"Precisely! It's your way of letting them know that you've chosen Ichigo as your mate, and that he's off-bounds to any of the other males in the vicinity. You wouldn't want Ichigo being mounted by anybody else, would you?"

"Well, no, but... that's not the point! I'm not going to do something as crazy as molesting him in front of an audience!"

"How will they know that he's spoken for if you don't?"

"But... but... surely there's an easier and less embarrassing way of doing this?"

Rukia looked disappointed. "You could always be boring and traditional by asking him out on a date, I suppose."

Ishida breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, I'd much prefer something like that."

"And you could win his affection by giving him gifts. You know, the way a lion would bring his lioness a bloody carcass."

"Can I just knit him a sweater instead? It's not as messy, and it's more aesthetically pleasing."

"You could try giving him candy. Ichigo likes sweet things, and chocolate is an aphrodisiac. He'd let you mount him for sure."

"Really?"

"Really."

 

~~

 

The next day, Ishida presented Ichigo with a homemade cake, much to Ichigo's delight, although he was fairly suspicious at first.

"Are you *sure* you haven't poisoned this?" he asked as Ishida cut a piece for him. "Not to be rude or anything, but it really isn't like you to be so generous."

Ishida frowned and handed over the paper plate. "Are you implying that I'm stingy, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Yup, you're a regular old cheapskate. But anyway, enough of that. What's the occasion? My birthday isn't for another three months, at least."

Ishida's ears turned pink as he remembered Rukia's little pep talk from yesterday, and he tried his best to ignore the blush. "There's no reason. I just felt like baking, and I know that you like chocolate, so I thought I'd share for once."

Ichigo continued to look sceptical, but he took a bite anyway and then smiled blissfully as savoured the taste. "Forget what I said earlier," he said, talking with his mouth full. "This is really good."

He swallowed and lifted a thumb to wipe the smudge of icing from his lips, but Ishida got there first, licking away the sweetness with the tip of his tongue before leaning in to kiss Ichigo gently.

Ichigo stared at him with wide-eyed shock when he moved away again, but Ishida merely cleared his throat and bowed, speaking very stiffly and very formally. "I wish to copulate with you, Kurosaki Ichigo. Please do me the honour of becoming my mate."

Ichigo blinked and then grinned. "I knew it. There always, *always* has to be a catch."

 

End.


	10. Ten

Title: Interruptions  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG-13  
Warnings: Shounen ai, humour  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #2 (news/letter)

~~

Shortly after History class that morning, Ichigo found a note being shoved under his nose. Blinking in confusion, he stared at the hand that held the piece of paper before finally raising his gaze to see Ishida standing before him and looking rather disgruntled.

"What's this?" he asked stupidly.

"Just read it," Ishida told him irritably.

Ichigo shrugged his shoulders and leaned in so that he could take a closer look. "It says 'Dear Ishida-san'. Why am I reading this letter if it's addressed to you?"

"Trust me, it involves you as well. Hurry up and read the rest."

"'Dear Ishida-san. Several of the residents in your apartment complex have recently contacted me to complain about the noise that you've been making. Mostly, they complained about your redheaded gentleman friend'." Ichigo paused and frowned. "You have a gentleman friend?"

"It's *you*, idiot," Ishida said scathingly. "They're talking about *you*!"

Ichigo looked offended, but went back to reading the note. "'The residents were quick to inform me that the noise coming from your apartment usually occur between the hours of 7:30pm and 10:30pm'." Again, Ichigo frowned. "Hey, that's when I go over to your place for study sessions!"

"Study sessions that usually end up turning into make-out sessions," Ishida reminded him.

"Make-out sessions that usually end up leading to se..." Ichigo's face turned suddenly pink. "*That's* what they're complaining about?"

"Kurosaki, you make more noise in bed than a cat being strangled to death," Ishida told him.

"You've never objected to those noises before!"

"That's because they've never resulted in me waking up with an eviction notice pinned to my door, a least until now!"

Ichigo gawked. "You're getting evicted... because of my sex noises?!"

"I have three days to find myself 'suitable accommodation' before I get kicked out," Ishida said, crossing his arms over his chest. "This is all your fault, Kurosaki! What do you have to say for yourself?"

"What is *that* supposed to mean?" Ichigo sputtered, unconsciously mimicking Ishida's defensive stance. "They can't throw you out for something as stupid as that! Besides, most of the other residents are little old ladies... *deaf* little old ladies!"

"Some of them can still hear!" Ishida said sternly. "Besides, even the deaf ones are probably aware of your caterwauling. You *are* very loud, after all."

"Not *that* loud!" Ichigo protested. "And if you're going to try pinning the blame onto someone, just remember that you're the one who always *encourages* me to make those sounds!"

"Well, I can't stand around arguing all day," Ishida told him, sighing heavily. "I still haven't found a new place to live yet."

"Couldn't you just stay in a hotel for a while or something?" Ichigo asked, looking more than just a little guilty.

Ishida merely fixed him with a patronising stare. "Kurosaki, do I *look* like the kind of person who has money to throw around like that?"

If anything, Ichigo began to look even guiltier. "You could stay over at my place, I guess. It's not like my old man would mind."

"Good." Ishida smiled tersely and tugged the note out of Ichigo's fingers, folding it up neatly and slipping it into the pocket of his shirt. "Actually, I was kind of hoping you'd say that. If you hadn't... well, I would have dragged all of my belongings to school for nothing."

It took a moment for what this piece of information to sink in, but when it did, Ichigo was furious. "You mean you just *assumed* that I'd offer up room at my house? That you planned all of this out in *advance*?"

"I wouldn't put it like that," Ishida said smoothly. "And anyway, you'd never be able to live with yourself if I ended up homeless on the streets."

Ishida had known for a long time now that the best way to get something out of Ichigo was to appeal to his softer side. He'd always had a weak spot for pathetic creatures, and his larger than average guilt complex made him easy to manipulate. Not that Ishida took any pleasure out of pushing just the right buttons, of course. He was merely acting out of self-preservation.

"Fine," Ichigo said after a pause. "Stay as long as you need."

~~

Three days later, and Ishida had almost finished moving in. The only thing Ichigo had left to deal with was Rukia, and as usual, she decided to be stubborn and put up a fight.

"Would it really be so bad for you to stay with Inoue for a few days?" Ichigo asked exasperatedly as he worked on making room for Ishida's clothing in his chest of drawers. "It's going to be crowded enough here as it is."

"So you're just going to throw me out?" said Rukia with a frown. "Even though I've spent the past how many months living in your closet?"

"It's only a *temporary* thing," Ichigo reminded her. "You can come back when Ishida finds himself a new apartment."

"And what am I going to tell Inoue?"

"I don't know... just make something up! Tell her you got into a fight with your parents. She's a soft touch, so she'll understand."

"But it's far too troublesome to have to drag my things all the way across town!"

"Your belongings could fit inside one little paper bag. If that's the best you can come up with, don't even bother trying."

"Why does Ishida have to stay in your room anyway? This is a clinic. You have plenty of rooms to spare!"

"Those rooms are all for patients, and besides, he just wanted to stay with me."

Rukia turned suddenly sly. "Oh, he wants to stay in *your* room, does he? In your *bed*?"

"Mind your own business!" Ichigo snapped, turning his back on her in an effort to hide his blush. "My old man didn't have a problem with it, so why should you?"

"Oh, I don't have a problem," Rukia said in a singsong voice. "I'm just sad because I won't be able to listen anymore while I'm in the closet."

That was when Ichigo remembered the reason he'd started going over to Ishida's apartment in the first place. Trying to get hot and heavy while his little sisters were sleeping three doors down was bad enough, but hearing Rukia's muffled snickers from the closet had been even worse.

"Yeah, well, at least this way you won't be able to ruin the mood anymore with your stupid spying," Ichigo said finally as he finished making space for Ishida and started bundling up Rukia's spare uniform. "If you want porn that badly, go buy yourself a magazine!"

Rukia's grin was truly evil, and it sent shivers down Ichigo's spine just to see it. "Why do that when I can just watch you for free? Besides, magazines don't have sound effects. Has Ishida ever told you that you whimper like a girl during sex?"

"That's a dirty lie! You just made it up to get a laugh out of me!"

"Why would I make it up?"

"Because you're a nasty little witch who likes to see me suffer?"

"How rude. I'm just telling it like it is!" Rukia narrowed her eyes and peered at Ichigo thoughtfully. "So why *did* Ishida get evicted? He isn't really the trouble-making type, so what reason would his landlord have for throwing him out?"

"Oh, it's a long and boring story," Ichigo said, trying hard not to sweat under Rukia's scrutiny. "You really don't want to hear it."

"I wouldn't have wasted my breath to ask you if I didn't," Rukia told him bluntly. "Spill it. Why was he evicted?"

"Well... it's kind of my fault that he got kicked out," Ichigo said, looking shifty.

"Your fault? Well, what did *you* do to get him evicted?"

"I don't want to say. It's stupid. And you'll laugh."

"I won't laugh," Rukia said solemnly. "If you have any serious problems, then I'll listen. I might not understand them and I might not be able to offer any good advice, but... if something is bothering you that badly, just tell me."

Ichigo stared at her in shock. He wasn't even sure what it was, but there was something in Rukia's face that invited him to confide in her. When he thought about it, the two of them really had been through a lot together, and although they didn't always seem to be on the best of terms, deep down, they really did care about each other.

That was what finally made him decide to come right out and say it, and if Rukia had been truly honest with what she'd said, he didn't think he would have anything much to worry about.

"Ishida got evicted because the other residents complained about my sex noises," he blurted out.

Rukia was silent for the space of three whole seconds before hooting wildly with laughter, and once she'd started, she couldn't seem to stop.

"Hey, you promised that you wouldn't laugh!" Ichigo snarled.

"But... but..." Rukia clutched her sides weakly. "It's just too *funny*!"

"It is *not* funny!" Ichigo snapped. "It's all my fault, just like always! It was my fault that I stole your Shinigami powers and now it's my fault that Ishida's apartment is being taken away from him. I'm a horrible human being."

The last of Rukia's snickers died away and she patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. "All right, all right. I'll make myself scarce for a while. Besides, I'm not the worst you'll have to deal with. I'm sure that your family will end up being *much* more troublesome."

~~

Ichigo had no idea how true those words would have turned out to be, but on a peaceful Friday afternoon, he really couldn't have cared less.

"Karin and Yuzu are out playing soccer so they won't be home for a while," he told Ishida as he led him into the kitchen. "My old man is still at work, so we'll probably have the place to ourselves for a while. If you want something to eat, I could always fix you a snack."

"I'm not hungry," Ishida replied as Ichigo opened up the door of the refrigerator and poked his head inside. "At least not for food."

"Huh? Did you say something?" asked Ichigo distractedly, peering over his shoulder and speaking around the half-eaten stick of celery in his mouth. Ishida smirked and stepped up close to him, pushing Ichigo gently backwards until the counter top halted his progress. "Hey, hey, what are you doing?"

"What does it *look* like I'm doing?" Ishida tugged the celery away and leaned in so that he could touch his lips to Ichigo's, and Ichigo indulged him for a few seconds before pushing him away.

"That's enough for now," he said, trying to wriggle free from Ishida's grasp. "Besides, anyone could walk in on us!"

"I thought you said your sisters were out playing somewhere? And if your father is still working... then we ought to have at least a little time to ourselves." Ishida leaned in once more and silenced any further protests with his mouth. Ichigo tensed up a little at first, but gradually he began to relax.

Ishida's kisses always seemed to have that effect on him for some reason. Just the gentle press of Ishida's lips against his own made Ichigo melt into his embrace and sigh into his mouth.

His arms had raised themselves to slide around Ishida's waist in order to pull him closer, and Ishida went willingly, untucking Ichigo's dress shirt and slipping a hand underneath so that he could run it over Ichigo's bare skin.

His kisses were still playful and teasing, and Ichigo found himself thinking that it wouldn't be too bad after all to fool around in the kitchen for a while, at least for a couple of minutes or so. Besides, Ishida was nipping at his lower lip and sucking lightly at it, pushing his mind closer and closer to blissful oblivion.

Ichigo's soft groan was all the invitation Ishida needed to crush their mouths together, and again, Ichigo could find no ready argument that would get him to stop.

Ishida's fingers were just as busy as his lips as they skittered over Ichigo's sides and stroked along the ridge of his spine, and already Ichigo's body was starting to demand more contact. Ishida seemed to pick up on his unspoken request, and somehow he managed to slip a thigh between Ichigo's legs without Ichigo actually noticing, but he couldn't resist the temptation to give in and rock his hips a little.

Ishida moaned in excitement, his tongue hot and wet inside Ichigo's mouth. Just when Ichigo started thinking that the kiss couldn't get deep enough, or that their bodies couldn't get close enough, the sound of someone loudly clearing their throat snapped him back to the real world and made him tear his lips reluctantly away from Ishida's.

Ichigo was mortified to see Karin standing right in front of him, and his embarrassment only grew when Yuzu peeked over her shoulder.

"What are you two doing here?!" he all but shrieked as he hurried to untangle himself from Ishida.

"This is our home, Ichi-nii," Karin reminded him with a smirk. "We *live* here, remember?"

"I know that!" Ichigo stuttered, knowing that he was blushing terribly, and that he was powerless to actually stop it. "You were supposed to be spending the afternoon in the park!"

"We decided to leave early," Karin said with a shrug. "It's a good thing that we did, too. It's not every day you come home to find your big brother being mauled by one of his classmates."

Yuzu stepped out from behind her older sister so that she could offer Ishida a giggle and a wave. "Hi, Uryuu Nii-san!"

"Good afternoon, Yuzu-chan," Ishida replied calmly, smoothing down his shirt and adjusting his tie before giving her a small bow in return.

"You're as polite as ever!" Yuzu beamed. "If only my Onii-chan was more like you..."

"Hey, don't talk about me like I'm a mannerless pig!" Ichigo told her irritably.

Yuzu chose to ignore him in favour of entertaining their guest. "Would you like something to eat, Uryuu Nii-san?"

"No thank you," said Ishida with a slight smile. "I've already had my fill."

Yuzu blinked. "Of what?"

Karin snorted. "Ichi-nii, by the looks of things."

~~

Later on that evening and Ichigo found himself trying not to break something as he helped Yuzu with her homework. The tutoring itself wasn't irritating him, but Karin and Ishida seemed determined to drive him insane. Neither one of them were aware of the effect that they were having on him, and that was what annoyed Ichigo most of all.

Karin sat on one side of the couch while Ishida sat on the other. Both of them were engrossed in their work, but the blip-blip-blip of Karin's Gameboy coupled with the klak-klak-klak of Ishida's knitting needles had begun to make Ichigo's left eyebrow twitch sporadically as the combined noises wore his patience down little by little.

Eventually it got to the point where he could take no more, and Yuzu frowned when she noticed the expression on his face.

"Are you okay, Onii-chan?" she asked. "You look kind of weird, and you've been spacing out for a while."

"It's nothing," said Ichigo abruptly as he reached for the nearby remote. "I just need some noise. Let's see what's on TV."

Immediately after the television set had flickered to life, a booming voice rang out.

"SPIRITS ARE ALWAYS WITH YOU! BOHAHAHA!"

Ichigo quickly shut it off with a grimace. "On second thought, let's *not* see what's on TV."

"Eh? Onii-chan, that was Don Kanonji's show!" squealed Yuzu as she tried to wrestle the remote away from him. "Come on, let's watch it! You can even do the shout with me!"

"I don't *want* to do the shout!" Ichigo said irritably as he kept the remote out of her grasp. "Kanonji is an idiot, and I refuse to watch his stupid show."

Yuzu's lower lip quivered pathetically. "Don't talk about Don Kanonji like that. He's my idol!"

"He's an idiot," Ichigo repeated flatly.

"Don Kanonji is cool and I want to be just like him when I grow up!" Yuzu clasped her hands to her chest and sighed dreamily. "I'd travel the world and blow up all the bad spirits. I'd even have my own super stick, only mine would be pink and have glitter on it, just like a real hero's!"

Ichigo made a face. "It doesn't change the fact that Kanonji is still a moron."

"Onii-chan, Kanonji is *cool*, and he's a role model for children everywhere! You shouldn't call him names!"

Yuzu was starting to get angry, and although her rage made her about as frightening as a half-drowned kitten, Ichigo backed down with a wave of his hand.

"Fine, fine, whatever you say. You think what you want and I'll think what I want. Agreed?"

Yuzu crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "Onii-chan, you really *have* gotten mean since you started high school. Are you just trying to show off because Uryuu Nii-san is here?"

Ichigo sputtered in disbelief. "What the... I'm not showing off! Stop saying weird stuff like that!"

"But it's true!" Yuzu told him. "You used to play with me and my dollies every single day, but now you only ever want to play with Uryuu Nii-san. It isn't fair!"

Ishida paused in his knitting and peered over his glasses. "He used to play with dolls?"

Yuzu nodded happily. "He used to have tea parties with me too. And we used to take baths together!"

Ishida raised an eyebrow, and Ichigo scowled at him. "That was a long time ago," he said stiffly.

Ishida shrugged his shoulders amiably. "Why are you getting upset? I never even said anything."

"No, but you were *thinking* about something," Ichigo accused. "And I'll bet that you're dying to laugh at me."

"Go ahead and do it, Four-Eyes," Karin said absently, without looking up from her Gameboy. "I laugh at Ichi-nii all the time. It usually makes me feel better about myself."

Ishida was starting to smirk, and Ichigo found himself growing more and more irritated until Yuzu latched onto his arm.

"Let's play dollies again, Onii-chan!" she pleaded, staring up at him with shiny eyes. "Besides, we're finished with the homework, so we might as well find something else to do until Otou-san comes home from work."

"Can't we just watch a movie instead?" asked Ichigo as he tried to wriggle free from her grip. "Or do something normal, like play Jenga? Then Karin and Ishida can join in."

"I'm busy," Karin said immediately, again without looking up from her Gameboy.

"And I have to finish this scarf," Ishida said politely as he motioned to the yarn and the needles in his lap. "You can play dollies if you want, though, Kurosaki. I promise I won't tell any of our classmates what you like to do with your free time."

Ichigo clenched his fist threateningly. "You little..."

Yuzu tugged at his wrist in order to get his attention. "Onii-chan, let's use Mellon and Cookie! We can play Mommies and Daddies with them!"

"Are you *sure* you wouldn't rather play Jenga?" Ichigo asked desperately, trying to ignore Ishida's infuriating smirk. "*Anything* other than Mommies and Daddies?"

"But that one's my favourite!" Yuzu said stubbornly. Then she blinked. "Actually, here's something weird. Mellon and Cookie used to have a little baby. I found a stuffed lion in one of the spare rooms, so I cleaned him up and named him Bostov. I even made him a brand-new outfit and told him to get to know his parents before I went to sleep. He was gone when I woke up, though. It really was the strangest thing..."

Ichigo tried not to sweat when he thought of Kon upstairs in his bedroom. "Wow, that sure is spooky. And you never found him again?"

"Never," Yuzu said solemnly. "It was like he just got up and ran away."

"Well, these things happen I guess," Ichigo said as he attempted to steer away the subject. "Look, I've changed my mind about the Kanonji thing, okay? Forget about playing games. Let's just watch TV for a while."

"You can't watch anything after 9pm," Karin piped up suddenly. "There's a movie that I want to see."

Yuzu brightened. "A movie? What's it about?"

"You shouldn't watch it," Karin said over the beeping of her game. "It'll give you nightmares."

Yuzu wrinkled her nose. "Karin-chan, I'm not a baby anymore! I can watch a scary movie if I want to!"

Karin grinned evilly. "Oh yeah? What if I told you that it's a *special* scary movie, full of blood and guts and decapitated heads?"

Yuzu's eyes grew large and watery. "Decapitated heads...?"

Karin smirked. "Lots and lots of decapitated heads."

Yuzu quivered.

~~

Amazingly enough, Yuzu had managed to make it through the whole of the movie, but only by hiding behind her brother. Ichigo had been impressed by the fact that Yuzu hadn't started crying until at least twenty minutes into the film, but when he'd told her to leave the room before she could start having nightmares, Yuzu had stubbornly refused.

Ichigo sighed as he changed into the loose track pants and tee shirt that he always wore for bed, but he figured Yuzu would be okay, so long as Karin stayed in the room with her.

Besides, he had more important things to worry about. Ishida was staring at him in a way that always made him feel nervous, and Ichigo really didn't like the idea of having sex while his little sisters slept down the hallway.

Ishida seemed to sense his hesitation, and he pulled the sheets down and shifted a little to make room. "Come to bed, Kurosaki," he said softly.

Ichigo continued to dither, but Ishida was smiling at him, and he didn't really need any further encouragement to slip under the covers. Ishida pushed him onto his back before he could even get settled, covering Ichigo's body with his own and leaning in for a kiss.

Ichigo accepted it gladly, closing his eyes and pulling Ishida closer. One of Ishida's hands slid under his tee shirt and drifted up his chest to toy with his nipples, and Ichigo arched into his touch with a moan.

"Shh," Ishida whispered, kissing his way across Ichigo's cheek and pausing when he reached his ear. "Your noises are what caused us all this trouble in the first place, remember?"

Ichigo flushed guiltily, but he had no time to feel embarrassed. Ishida had taken his earlobe between his teeth and he bit lightly at it, causing Ichigo to moan again, louder this time. Ishida tilted his head to give him a warning glance and Ichigo glared at him. "How the Hell am I supposed to stay quiet when you're doing stuff like *that*?!" he hissed irritably.

The smirk that curved Ishida's lips was far too smug for Ichigo's liking, but at that moment, he couldn't really bring himself to care. He just wanted Ishida to start moving his hand again, preferably lower and in a much more sensitive area. Instead, Ishida merely shook his head and touched his index finger to Ichigo's lips, signalling him to be silent.

Ichigo refused to waste any more time on playing games, though, and he parted his lips so that Ishida's finger could slide into his mouth. It was his turn to feel satisfied as he sucked and licked while Ishida's body tensed and trembled against his.

He was even more satisfied when Ishida yanked his finger away and replaced it with his mouth, kissing Ichigo with a desperation that hadn't been there previously. Ichigo moaned his approval and squirmed under him, growing hotter and hotter the longer the kiss went on.

The blanket over them felt heavy and his tee shirt felt constrictive, but Ichigo soon found himself relieved that they hadn't yet gotten to the clothing removal stage when he heard a timid knock at the door, along with Yuzu calling his name.

Ichigo tensed up immediately and Ishida groaned in frustration as Ichigo pushed him away just in time before Yuzu peeked inside the room.

"Onii-chan, are you awake?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm awake," Ichigo said breathlessly. "What do you want?"

"I couldn't sleep," Yuzu said with a sniffle. "Can I stay with you in your bed?"

Ichigo's left eyebrow twitched. "Yuzu, I have a *guest*! Can't you sleep with Karin instead?"

Yuzu's sniffling increased in volume. "I tried, but she just kicked me out."

"Well, what about the old man?"

"I don't want Otou-san, I want you!"

Again, Ichigo twitched. "There's no room in this bed, so you'll have to go back to your own."

Yuzu stared at him pleadingly. "I could fit! Besides, I'm sure Uryuu Nii-san wouldn't mind."

From the look on Ishida's face, Ichigo guessed that he minded very, very much, but Yuzu had already clambered up onto the foot of the bed. Ichigo could only sigh in frustration as she wriggled under the covers and wormed her way between him and Ishida. "Ten minutes, okay?" he said. "Then I'm taking you back to your own bed, so you'd better be asleep by then!"

Yuzu nodded happily and snuggled up against his side. "Only if you promise to protect me from bad spirits."

"Fine, fine, I'll protect you from bad spirits. Now shut up and sleep!"

Unfortunately for Ichigo, those ten minutes seemed to drag out like an eternity. He was irritated and horny, Ishida was irritated and horny, and Yuzu was blissfully oblivious and content. When her breathing finally began to even out, Ichigo scooped her up into his arms, ready to carry her back to her own bed, but the door creaked open before he could go anywhere.

"Room for one more?" asked Karin with a grin as she peered inside.

"Very funny," Ichigo said flatly. "Here, take Yuzu back, will you?"

Karin opened her mouth to speak, but a rumbling noise in the hallway interrupted her before she could even get out the words. Isshin appeared seconds later, slamming the door open loudly and waking Yuzu with a start.

"You kids are having a pyjama party and you didn't invite me?!" he cried dramatically. "Tou-san feels lonely. Tou-san feels left out!"

"It is *not* a pyjama party, you idiot!" Ichigo snarled as he set Yuzu back on her feet. "Just get the Hell out before I kick you!"

"But I thought this was supposed to be a party?" Isshin pointed a finger accusingly. "You only want to get rid of me because you think that I won't be any fun! Well, you're wrong! Tou-san still remembers what it's like to be young! Tou-san still remembers how to have a good time at a sleepover!"

Yuzu brightened. "Oooh, are we having a slumber party, Onii-chan?"

Ichigo shook his head in disbelief. "We're not having *any* kind of party, so just go back to your own bed already!"

"Don't be ridiculous, boy!" Isshin crowed. "We'll all sleep here tonight! It's been such a long time since Tou-san got to share a bed with his little angels. Tou-san loves you all lots and lots, after all!" He paused and waved over at Ishida with a grin. "Tou-san loves you too, Uryuu-kun!"

"Stop saying weird stuff, you moron!" Ichigo snapped as he tried to force his father physically out of the room. Isshin refused to budge.

"Hey, I have an idea! Let's build a camp fire in Ichigo's room!"

Ichigo gawked in disbelief. "What the... do you *want* to burn down the house?!"

Isshin blinked. "We have insurance, don't we?"

"That's not the point! Are you pissing me off on purpose?"

"But it's not *fair*! Tou-san misses his precious baby boy. Uryuu-kun takes all of your attention away these days." Isshin peered over at Ishida again. "You two *are* having safe sex, aren't you?"

Ichigo covered Yuzu's ears with his hands and lashed out at his father with his foot. "Don't say stuff like that in front of children!"

Isshin placed his hands on his hips and pouted. "I am a doctor and a father. It's my *duty* to find out things like this!" He shook a finger at Ishida and smiled widely. "Tou-san loves you very much, Uryuu-kun, but if you ever do anything to hurt poor, precious little Ichigo, Tou-san will break all of your fingers and toes and then run you over with his car." Then he laughed heartily and slapped Ishida on the back. "But I'm sure that isn't going to happen, so just keep making Ichigo happy and you'll always have a special place in Tou-san's heart."

Ishida nodded, looking more than a little terrified. "I promise to take good care of your son for as long as I'm able to, Kurosaki-san."

Isshin smacked him on the back once again, almost sending Ishida flying in his enthusiasm. "That's the spirit! Now, let's set fire to Ichigo's schoolbooks and roast marshmallows over them!"

"I've had enough!" Ichigo yelled as he sent his father reeling with a kick to the face. "All of you, go to sleep right now!"

Isshin reached out and lifted the corners of the blanket.

"In your *own* beds!"

Isshin turned to Karin with a hopeful expression. "You'll share Tou-san's bed, won't you? I'll even bring out the cardboard cut-out of Kaa-san so that we can feel like a completed family again!"

Karin punched him in the gut, then smiled over at her sister. "Come on, Yuzu. Let's go make some juice while we're up."

Yuzu beamed back at her. "Sure thing! Onii-chan, Uryuu Nii-san, do you want some?"

Ichigo sighed tiredly. "No, we just want you to leave and take the old man with you."

Karin shrugged her shoulders and grabbed hold of Isshin's sleeve, dragging him out of the room with Yuzu's help, and sliding the door shut behind them. Again, Ichigo sighed.

"You have *got* to find yourself a new apartment. I don't think I could take this kind of thing night after night."

Ishida smirked ruefully. "And I don't think I could take any more death threats from your father. He's a very scary man."

"He's an idiot. Don't worry about him."

"Only if you come back to bed. Oh, and Kurosaki? Make sure to lock the door this time."

 

End.


	11. Eleven

Title: The Balance of Power  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG-13  
Warnings: Shounen ai, humour  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #5 ("Hey, you know...")

~~

"Hey, you know something? I've been thinking..."

"Then you chose a really bad time to do it. Why aren't you asleep already?"

"Because I've been thinking."

"That's unusual. Is your brain starting to hurt now?"

"Don't be such an ass. Really, this is important."

"All right, all right, I'll listen. So what is it?"

"Well, I was just wondering, and I guess I got to realising something... why am I always on the bottom?"

"Shut up, Kurosaki, you're spoiling the afterglow."

"But I really want to know! Why *am* I always bottoming to you?"

"Kurosaki, I am going to sleep. You can either join me, or you can stay up for the rest of the night with your intensely profound thoughts. It's your decision."

"You're changing the subject. You always do that whenever you don't want to answer any of my questions."

"I'm tired and I don't want to talk. Deal with it."

Ichigo sighed and stared over at Ishida moodily, unwilling to drop the current topic of conversation. Unfortunately, Ishida was just as stubborn as he was, and once he dug his heels in over something, he absolutely refused to be budged. Ichigo could even see the little furrow between his brows that told him Ishida was preparing himself for a fight on this. It hadn't been there a moment ago. A moment ago, they'd both been utterly relaxed and in a state of orgasmic bliss, and although he did feel kind of bad for breaking the peaceful atmosphere, he did want to hear Ishida's response.

What Ichigo said had been true. He really was the one who took a more passive role during sex. It had always been that way between them, and although Ichigo could appreciate just how skilled Ishida had grown over time in the bedroom, it didn't change the fact that Ishida was always, always on top.

Ichigo just wanted to know *why*.

Unfortunately for him, Ishida didn't seem willing to provide answers anytime soon. His breathing was still deep and even, but his body had begun to tense a little, as though sensing that Ichigo wasn't about to back down.

"Seriously, Ishida. I'm not a girl. There's no rule that says *I* have to let you have all the control, is there?"

"Yes there is. It's my rule, and it's my control. You're not having either of them. And I never said you were a girl."

"No, but I take it like one. And that's all the time, in case you forgot to notice."

"I noticed! And I thought you liked it!"

"I *do* like it!"

"Then what's the problem?"

"Um... I want to try being on top for once?"

That got Ishida's attention, and a look of alarm crossed his features as he quickly sat bolt upright.

"Absolutely not! *You* can't be on top!"

"How come? We're both guys, aren't we? I could do you just as easily as you do me."

"But you're not going to do me!"

"Why not?"

"Because... because... I'm older! That gives me the right to be on top!"

"Well, I'm taller, so that gives *me* the right to be on top!"

"I'm more knowledgeable than you when it comes to these matters!"

"No you're not! Since when have you had more experience? You told me that I was your first!"

"You *are* my first! I never said I had *experience*, I said I had *knowledge*. It's a totally different thing!"

"Oh, that's right. You got all your instructions from dirty books, didn't you?"

"They're *romance* novels, Kurosaki! They have flowery descriptions of sex, and they all have titles like 'Passion in Bloom'! It's not like I go around reading things like 'Streetwalker: My Life As a Prostitute'!"

"You saw the TV adaptation, though, didn't you?"

"So what if I did?! There was nothing else to watch that night, and I thought I might pick up something from it!"

"Like how to make money from having sex with someone?"

Ishida scowled irritably and turned his back on Ichigo, drawing the covers over his head and hiding himself from view.

"I don't want you in my bed anymore. Go sleep on the couch instead."

"Hell no. It's too lumpy and uncomfortable."

"Then sleep on the floor!"

"I don't want that either!"

"Then go home!"

"You can't make me!"

"No, but I *can* ignore you."

"You're just being childish."

"And you're being stubborn, so we're even!"

Ichigo sighed and scooted closer to Ishida, pulling the covers down so that he could nuzzle at the back of his neck. Ishida shivered in response, and Ichigo took advantage of his momentary weakness. He knew full well how sensitive Ishida's ears were, and he grinned slyly as he began to kiss and nip.

"Ishida, I wanna be on top..."

The archer gasped softly. "No... not tonight."

"Then when?"

"Some other time."

"That's not much of an answer."

"It's as good as any I've ever given you."

"But it isn't *fair*!"

"I happen to think it's very fair. And you're whining, by the way."

"Yeah, well, you're being an asshole."

"Enough of this nonsense. Just stop talking and go to sleep!"

"I'm not tired."

"Try counting sheep."

"Since when has that ever worked?"

"Okay then, just close your eyes and lie very still."

"I don't want to lie still! I want to have sex!"

That seemed to snap Ishida out of his sullen mood, and he instantly turned over so that he could push Ichigo onto his back and climb on top of him. Ichigo squirmed agitatedly.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing?"

Ishida stared down at him with a frown. "You said you wanted sex."

"Yeah, with me on top! See, this is the problem! You *assume* that I'm going to be on the bottom and just do whatever the Hell you like!"

"And why are you choosing to complain about this now?"

"Because it's never any different! It's always, *always* the same!"

"So what are you saying... that you want to start trying out new positions?" Ishida brightened suddenly. "I could lie on my back and you could ride me. Then you'd get to be on top."

"Not like *that*. I want to take you the same way you take me!"

"Well, I don't want you to."

"But *why*?"

"Because... because it'll hurt!"

"Ishida, have you ever known *me* to be in pain while we're having sex?"

"No, but you're stronger than I am. You're used to pain and abuse. I’m far too delicate."

"You're tougher than you look. And anyway, it doesn't hurt! It feels really, really good!"

"If it feels so good, then why do you want to stop doing it?"

"I *don't* want to stop doing it! I just want to try something different for a change!" Ichigo leaned up and kissed the corner of Ishida's down turned mouth. "Please? Just this once?"

Ishida's frown merely deepened. "Don't be so nice. It's harder for me to say no when you use good manners." He didn't resist when Ichigo hooked his arms under his shoulders and rolled so that their positions were reversed, but he did attempt to push Ichigo away half-heartedly when he began kissing at his neck. "Mmm... you can't be on top, Kurosaki. You wouldn't even know what to do."

Ichigo paused in his kissing and glanced up at Ishida witheringly. "And what is *that* supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. You're just the type of guy who prefers to be taken, not take others."

"And why is that?"

"It's because you've already accepted me as the dominant partner. It would be wrong to switch our roles after we've gotten so used to them."

"That's bullshit. Besides, I'm way more aggressive than you are."

"Not in bed you aren't."

"Yes I am! I'm the one who's always cursing and being impatient when you're far too slow!"

"That's called being a pushy bottom, Kurosaki. You've always been perfectly willing to submit to me before!"

"That was then, this is now! I want *you* to submit to *me* this time!"

"It's never going to happen. I'm just too dominant!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to make another smart remark, when suddenly, an idea hit him. Ishida looked wary when he saw the smile that curved Ichigo's lips, but Ichigo merely raised a hand to Ishida's cheek and stared deeply into his eyes.

"I love you, Uryuu."

Whatever Ishida had been expecting, it couldn't have been that. The startled expression on his face, coupled with the slowly deepening blush, was evidence enough of his surprise.

Inwardly, Ichigo was cheering. He'd come to the realisation that arguing with Ishida would get him nowhere, and that it would only make Ishida continue to be stubborn. If he really wanted to get what he was after, he had to treat the situation as a battle, and attack Ishida's weak spots one by one.

Ichigo knew that Ishida still wasn't used to being called by his given name. He also knew how much he craved to hear those three little words. Ishida never asked, and Ichigo never said them.

It was an impressive start, but Ichigo still needed more to increase Ishida's state of vulnerability and confusion. He had to keep pressing onward.

"I'll never leave your side. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Ichigo couldn't quite believe that it was actually working. Only fictional people ever spouted flowery crap like that, but if Ishida's collection of romance novels was anything to go by, he had to enjoy reading about unrealistic confessions of love, at least.

It figured, really. Most normal men were turned on by dirty talk, while Ishida was turned on by girly vows and promises.

Still, it did seem to be doing the trick, and Ichigo decided to give it one last push.

"I'll protect you, even if it's at the cost of my own life."

That seemed to snap Ishida out of his love-addled daze, and the dreamy expression on his face quickly disappeared in order to make way for a scowl. "I don't *need* your protection, Kurosaki. Don't treat me like I'm helpless!"

Now it was Ichigo's turn to look confused. "Why are we still fighting? Shouldn't you be letting me make love to you by now?"

"And why would I do something like that? Is it because I'm too pathetic to make my own decisions anymore?"

"I never said you were pathetic! Why are you so mad, anyway?"

"Because you're the most annoying, infuriating and insensitive human being I've ever known!"

"So you really aren't going to let me be on top tonight?"

Ishida glared at him in disgust and pushed at Ichigo's shoulders until he managed to wriggle out from under him, scooting over to the edge of the bed and turning his back on Ichigo yet again without even saying a word.

Ichigo glared right back at him and shifted over to the opposite end of the bed. If they were going to do something as stupid as holding a sulking contest, he refused to be the one who lost. Then he realised how talented Ishida was when it came to holding a grudge, and he almost rolled over to apologise, before thinking better of it.

Ishida was the one in the wrong here, not him, and Ichigo would be damned if he were the first to say sorry. Besides, his request hadn't been that unreasonable. It was all Ishida's fault for getting so upset.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the bed, Ishida was also thinking. He was even starting to feel somewhat guilty, but he had a stubborn streak that rivalled Ichigo's, and he refused to be the first to speak up.

And so, the two of them laid in silence for a while, until eventually, Ishida threw away his pride with a sigh.

"Kurosaki... forget about what I said earlier, okay? I didn't mean it. I was just angry, I guess... and maybe a little scared. I don't like change, and I hate not being able to have some sort of control, but... I guess I could try letting you be on top... just this once..."

He waited hesitantly, but after a minute or so went by without any kind of response from Ichigo, Ishida began to grow annoyed.

"Kurosaki if you're snickering to yourself after I just confessed my most sincere feelings, I swear I'm going to shoot you in the eye."

Still no response.

"Kurosaki, you moron! Answer me!"

Ishida reached out and shook Ichigo's shoulder roughly, but it was only when he leaned in and peered over his shoulder that he realised why Ichigo had never replied. His brow was still creased with a frown, but the rest of his face was relaxed in sleep.

Again, Ishida felt guilty, but he also experienced a fair amount of relief. Hopefully, Ichigo would wake up in the morning without any remembrance of what had happened the night before, and Ishida would continue to cling onto his control, for a little while longer, at least.

Still, it was the closest Ichigo had ever come to taking away that control, and it made Ishida blush to remember some of the things he'd said. He really had enjoyed hearing those words, and as he shifted closer so that he was lying with his chest pressed up against Ichigo's back, he thought that maybe it wouldn't be too bad to give in and let Ichigo have what he wanted one day.

If he ever managed to work up the courage, that was.

 

End.


	12. Twelve

Title: Unrequited  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Mild shounen ai, humour (yes, humour)  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #26 (if only I could make you mine)

~~

Stalking and spying were just two of the things that Ishida Uryuu did best. He was also skilled in the art of lurking and shadowing, but right now, he wasn't really in need of either. Any other person would have felt guilt or shame for peering into a classmate's window in the dark of night, but Ishida was no ordinary human being. He was a Quincy, and it simply wouldn't do to let his techniques grow rusty.

Besides, it was also a way for him to gather information. Kurosaki Ichigo was his rival, after all, and Ishida refused to lose to a Shinigami.

The fact that Ichigo was one highly attractive individual didn't feature into the equation at *all*. The only reason Ishida had been watching him for months on end was because he needed to learn more about him and his power.

Even Ishida couldn't deny how pleasing it was to see Ichigo in a pair of tight-fitting jeans as he worked on cleaning up his bedroom, though. It was even more pleasing to see Ichigo bend over from time to time and pick something up off the floor.

Kurosaki Ichigo really did have a mighty fine ass. For a Shinigami, anyway.

Mighty fine ass aside, Ishida was perfectly content to watch Ichigo go about his daily life. Besides, he was comfortable on his perch, and he was well hidden. Not that Ichigo would ever notice him, of course. He never noticed anything until it was right under his nose.

Ishida didn't have to worry about Ichigo picking up on his spiritual energy, either. His combat skills may have been first-rate, but his observational skills were poor to say the least.

In short, Ishida was confident that he'd remain undetected for the duration of his visit, which was good, because he enjoyed looking at Ichigo, even when he was doing something as mundane as finishing up his homework. Ishida could admire him for that, at least. Ichigo wasn't clever, but he did study hard. Not that he could ever come close to matching Ishida's grades, of course.

It was just one of the many things that made Ishida feel smug and superior when he compared himself to Ichigo. Sure, Ichigo was insanely powerful, but Ishida much preferred the use of wit and cunning to sheer brute strength.

Ishida knew his weaknesses. He'd lose miserably in a fistfight with Ichigo, but rather than letting that knowledge dent his pride, Ishida took pleasure in the fact that he could easily outsmart Ichigo, and if it ever came down to it, outrun him.

Ishida couldn't even begin to count the ways in which he bettered Ichigo, but whenever he wasn't preening over how amazing he was, he had to admit to himself that Ichigo had a certain *something*, in spite of being such a brainless oaf.

He was easy on the eyes, for starters. He also had a certain gift for attracting attention.

Ishida's life had gotten a Hell of a lot more interesting since Ichigo had walked into it.

As much as he enjoyed watching Ichigo during battle, however, he also enjoyed watching him interacting with people. He'd seen the way Ichigo acted around Rukia, the way he acted around his sisters and his father... he'd even seen the way he acted around his foul-mouthed plush toy.

Speaking of Kon, he seemed intent on bothering Ichigo for some reason. The window was closed, so Ishida couldn't make out anything that he said, but he could gather enough information from Kon's body language and Ichigo's expressions to know that they were arguing over something.

It may have been completely natural for Ichigo, but Ishida still found himself being slightly unsettled by the idea of a walking, talking stuffed animal sometimes.

Not that it really mattered in the end, though. Kon was Ichigo's problem, not his, and like most of his problems, Ichigo seemed determined to solve this one with violence.

It eventually got to the point where Ichigo lost his temper, and after scooping Kon up with his fist, he hurled him forcefully at the window. Kon hit the glass with a thump and a muffled curse, and Ishida's heart skipped a beat when their gazes met.

He had just enough time to move to a better hiding place when the window slid open seconds later and Ichigo's head poked outside. Kon hopped up onto the ledge and waved his paws in order to gain Ichigo's attention.

"I'm telling you, I *saw* someone!" he whined urgently. "I'm not making this up!"

Ichigo peered out into the night, then sighed irritably as he stared down at Kon. "You're a dirty liar. There's no-one here!"

Kon stamped a foot indignantly. "I'm telling the truth! There really was some guy sitting right outside this window!"

"Oh really? Then where is he now, huh?"

"How the Hell should I know? Obviously, he got spooked when he saw me looking at him and ran away! See? I'm better than any burglar alarm!"

Ichigo shook his head with a snort. "Yeah, well, I still say that you're lying."

"I am *not*!" Kon squeaked indignantly. "I swear, on my mother's grave!"

"You don't have a mother."

"Okay then, *your* mother's grave!"

"Don't say things like that, you little bastard!" Ichigo grabbed Kon by the scruff of his neck and held him away at arm's length. "You can either shut your mouth like a good boy, or I can let go and have you fall from a great height."

Kon flailed frantically. "Don't drop me, don't drop me! I'll be good! I promise!"

For a second, it looked as though Ichigo might release him anyway, but he seemed to change his mind at the last minute, instead choosing to lower Kon back to the safety of the ledge. "I guess we'd better leave the window open, just in case Rukia decides to come back."

Kon rubbed his eyes with a sniffle. "Why did Nee-san have to go visit that creepy manager anyway? What does he want with her at such a late hour?"

Ichigo shrugged his shoulders. "It doesn't matter. Besides, it's Rukia's business, not ours."

"I don't care! I miss Nee-san, and I want to be with her!"

"Stop snivelling! It's unmanly!"

"But... but... I want to be by Nee-san's side! Instead, I'm stuck with *you*! Life is so cruel..."

"Oh shut up. If you're that worried, go over to Hat-and-Sandals' place."

"As if! Those crazy kids will pull out all of my stuffing again, and then you'd have to take me to that Ishida dork to get me fixed!"

Ishida twitched in his hiding spot. 'Dork'? Obviously, Kon was mistaken. Either that or his brain was even smaller than Ichigo's. Ishida was sure that Kon had simply failed to come up with an adjective appropriate enough to describe his myriad of God-like talents. There was no *way* a Mod Soul could have just insulted him on purpose.

"Take you to Ishida? Hell no. He'd just nag me again."

Again, Ishida twitched. He didn't *nag*! He couldn't believe the cheek of it all, nor could he believe that Ichigo actually dared to insinuate something so utterly, utterly... *false*!

"Meh, I don't like him anyway. He's weird."

Ishida's face darkened. Ichigo thought that he nagged, while Kon seemed to have convinced himself that he was a dork, and a weird one at that! Well, he'd show them!

"Hey, he isn't *that* bad. Stop picking on him so much!"

Ishida's heart leapt. Ichigo was willing to defend his honour from a perverted talking plushie! He'd read in his romance novels about what it was like to fall in love, but now that Ishida was experiencing the sensation himself for the very first time, all of the flowery prose seemed put to shame.

Ishida was looking at Ichigo in a totally new light. The butterflies were tying his stomach into knots. His palms had gone clammy and his mouth had gone dry. This *had* to be what falling in love felt like, or at least what vertigo felt like. Ishida had never been good with heights, after all.

He entertained himself briefly with ideas of jumping in through the window and sweeping Ichigo off his feet, but in the end, Ishida decided that it would be best to stay where he was. He didn't mind admiring Ichigo from afar, but he'd be damned if he’d actually confess his newfound feelings. Unrequited love was painful indeed, but it was still better than rejection, not to mention humiliation at the hands of a Shinigami.

Ishida would have liked very much to make Ichigo his, but he wasn't terribly keen on the idea of taking on the additional baggage that came with him. Talking cats were mind-boggling enough, but talking plush toys were even worse.

"Ichigo, I miss Nee-san. Why isn't she back yet?"

"How should I know? Do I look like a psychic to you? Just shut up already. You're annoying me."

"That's no way to talk to your best friend!"

"Since when did *you* fit that description? Besides, I already have a best friend, and his name is Chad."

Kon shuddered violently. "That guy's almost as creepy as the one with the hat and the sandals! Ichigo, you really need to start hanging out with normal people. Or babes! Why can't you eat lunch with the girls for once?"

Ichigo made a face. "Why would I want to do that? Besides, women are almost as weird and annoying as you are."

"Who cares if they're a little weird? They're female! All women are hot!"

"If you say so."

"I do!" Kon clambered up onto Ichigo's shoulder and latched onto his neck. "Let me borrow your body tomorrow at school? Pretty please?"

Ichigo flinched in disgust and tried his best to peel Kon away. "Like Hell I'll lend you my body! And stop *hugging* me, you freak! It's gross!"

"Can I borrow it for tonight, then? Just for half an hour? I may be stuck inside a stuffed toy, but I'm still like every other guy. I have tensions, and I need to relieve them, so if you really care about me, you'll let me take over your body so that I can masturbate for a while!"

Ichigo looked even more disgusted, and this time, he managed to wrench Kon away with a snarl. "You little bastard! I'll kill you!"

Kon screamed loudly as Ichigo threw him to the floor and began stamping on him, and even Ishida had to cover his ears from the noise. Ichigo was right in the middle of slamming Kon against his closet when his bedroom door slid open and Yuzu peered inside.

"Onii-chan, what's happening? Why are you making so much racket? I'm *trying* to get some sleep!" Then she gasped and pointed at Kon. "Bostov? What are you doing here?!"

Ichigo had the expression of a rabbit caught in the headlights, and Ishida smirked as he wondered how Ichigo would get himself out of this particular mess.

"I, um... well, I... I found him, and... I... I took pity on his sorry ass and decided to, um... take care of him!" Ichigo nodded fervently, but Yuzu looked sceptical.

"You're a little too old to be playing with stuffed animals, Onii-chan... and it still doesn't explain why you were making so much noise."

Ichigo grinned maniacally and waved his arms. "Oh, that? I was, um... I was... I was practising my aerobics routine! It's a new thing they've got us doing in gym class, and I figured I might as well do some warm-ups while I had the time!"

Yuzu raised an eyebrow. "Onii-chan, I heard screaming coming from here."

"That's all part of the routine! We have to make a lot of noise during our sessions. It's a great way to relieve stress!"

"Well, I wish you wouldn't do it so late at night. These walls are thin, you know?" Yuzu frowned slightly. "If something is troubling you, just talk to me, okay? I know that being a teenager must be tough, but you've been acting really weird lately. The other day when I was cleaning, I even found a few of my dresses inside your closet!"

Ichigo's left eyebrow twitched. "Ah... I, um... I was... getting in touch with my feminine side."

Kon gave an audible snort, and Ichigo quickly clamped a hand over his mouth before Yuzu could say anything.

"Anyway, it's all really boring, and you wouldn't want to hear about it, so why don't you go back to bed already? It's getting late, and you don't want to miss out on your sleep! You're a growing girl after all!"

"Onii-chan!"

"Go, go! Don't worry about me! I'll be quiet from now on, I promise, so goodnight! I'll see you in the morning!"

Ichigo nudged Yuzu out the room and slammed the door behind her, locking it firmly before sinking to the floor with a sigh. Kon was far too busy doubling over with laughter, but he was considerably quieter than he had been before.

"Getting in touch with your *feminine* side?" he snickered. "What was *that* all about?"

"Shut up," Ichigo snapped irritably, lashing out with his foot and kicking Kon across the room. "Besides, I had to say *something*. I couldn't exactly tell her the truth now, could I?"

That sobered Kon up, and he stared out the window mournfully. "Nee-san..."

Ichigo sighed and rose to his feet. "There's no point whining about it. She'll come back when she's ready."

"But... but... what if something happened? What if there's trouble?"

"You're worrying too much. She's a pain in the ass, but she isn't stupid. She'll be okay."

"Ichigo..."

"I told you to stop whining already! And don't start crying, either. You're troublesome at the best of times, so don't make things worse by getting snot all over my nice clean floor."

The Mod Soul continued to look miserable as Ichigo began to change into his nightwear, drawing back the covers on his bed before sliding underneath them and making himself comfortable.

Kon clambered up onto the mattress and stood by Ichigo's pillow, sniffling pathetically until Ichigo reached out and grabbed his head. Ishida cringed on Kon's behalf, expecting Ichigo to launch the little plush through the window for annoying him, but Ichigo surprised them both when he merely huffed and tucked Kon under his arm.

Kon stared up at him with watery eyes. "Ichigo..."

"Just shut up and sleep, dammit. You're pissing me off."

For once, Kon did as he was told, snuggling closer to Ichigo before going still. The two of them made a sickeningly adorable picture, and Ishida didn't know whether to feel angry or embarrassed over the fact that he was being jealous of a stuffed animal. Kon had what he wanted so desperately, and if Ichigo ever did bring the little plush to him again for repairs, Ishida knew that he'd be sure to make the job as painful and laborious as he possibly could.

Ishida smirked to himself as he thought about replacing Kon's stuffing with catnip and leaving him at the mercy of the neighbourhood felines. He could even make him another Marie Antoinette gown, and then staple him to the door of the Handicraft Club room for all to see.

Although it was amusing to think up new methods of torturing Kon, it was better still to watch Ichigo sleep. His face was much softer and more relaxed than it was during his waking hours, and Ishida found his gaze wandering to Ichigo's lips. They were parted ever so slightly, almost as though they were tempting Ishida to sneak inside the room and kiss them.

It sounded like something out of a fairytale, and Ishida felt his heart lurch in his chest. He was the handsome and dashing prince of the story, and Ichigo was the princess that he was destined to wake with a kiss.

Waking him up would be a bad idea, though. Ishida's glasses were more rose-tinted than most, but even he knew what would happen if Ichigo opened his eyes to find himself being kissed. The romantic scenario would quickly turn into something out of a nightmare, and Ishida had no desire to find himself beaten half to death by the baseball bat resting against the side of Ichigo's bed.

Besides, what Kon said earlier had been true. He *was* better than any burglar alarm. True, he wasn't moving right now, but Ishida had no idea whether or not he was actually sleeping. *Could* he sleep? Ishida didn't know the answer, and he didn't want to find out by leaning over Ichigo, only to have Kon alert him with a series of shrieks and squawks.

A braver prince would have said 'what the Hell' and barged in there anyway, but Ishida had never been one to do things on impulse. He preferred to plot and brood, sometimes for years on end.

Life just wasn't fair sometimes, and Ishida sighed wistfully as he continued to watch over his slumbering princess. Maybe one day he'd be able to confess his true feelings, but until then, he'd just keep stalking and shadowing.

A tap on the shoulder brought him back to earth with a bump, and Ishida had to clap a hand over his mouth to keep from gasping out in shock. He turned around to see Rukia smirking slyly at him, and Ishida moved his hand away so that he could push his glasses nervously up the bridge of his nose.

"Good evening, Kuchiki-san. Just give me a moment to recover from my shock and I'll be sure to explain everything."

 

End.


	13. Thirteen

Title: Familiarity  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Mild shounen ai, fluff  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #20 (the road home)

~~

The first time it happened was during lunch. It wasn't uncommon for the four of them to eat together sometimes, and Ichigo actually enjoyed it. He enjoyed sitting next to Chad and not having to say anything, while Ishida worked on one of his sewing projects and Orihime babbled away about space aliens or Big Foot.

Ichigo just happened to glance up one day when Ishida politely argued that Karakura's water supplies were too clean and free from radioactivity for three-eyed fish to exist and reproduce, while Orihime continued to insist that it was still possible, and that they ought to try searching for such creatures.

The smile on Ishida's face had been so gentle and indulgent that it had taken Ichigo completely by surprise. He hadn't even known that Ishida *could* smile, so to see him gazing so fondly at Orihime as she began to spout out other insane theories had been something of a shock.

Like him, Ishida usually tended to go through life with a frown, and Ichigo had taken for granted that it was Ishida's natural default expression. The fact that he might occasionally make other expressions had never even occurred to Ichigo.

That was why he'd ended up staring for longer than he ought to have done. There was something about Ishida's smile that had given him a strange, twisting sensation in his gut, but it soon disappeared when Ishida noticed the fact that he was being scrutinised. He'd asked Ichigo what his problem was and Ichigo had immediately gone on the defensive.

He'd snapped out some nonsense insult at Ishida before stalking off, glad that he had his back to Ishida, and that he couldn't see him blushing.

Later that evening, Ichigo thought that he'd forgotten about that smile. He thought that he'd forgotten about the embarrassment and the awkwardness he'd felt when Ishida's eyes met his. It all came back to bother him, though, and it earned him a kick to the face from his over-excitable father after dinner for being so inattentive to his surroundings.

Ishida asked him about the bruise on his cheek at school the next day. Again, Ichigo had gotten that awkward, embarrassed feeling, and again, he'd snapped out some silly response in the hope that Ishida would go away and leave him alone.

Ishida did no such thing, however. Instead, he'd reached out and touched a single fingertip to the mark on Ichigo's skin, and again, Ichigo got that twisting feeling in his stomach as Ishida slowly traced his finger over the bruise.

Back then, Ichigo hadn't understood why he'd been unable to move away. He hadn't understood why he'd allowed that touch, or why Ishida made him feel the way that he did. The two of them had simply stood there until Ichigo eventually came back to his senses, smacking Ishida's hand away roughly before striding away without glancing back.

And still, he continued to see Ishida's smile in his mind's eye. It haunted him in his sleep, but unlike all the other things that Ishida did to him, that smile hadn't made Ichigo uneasy. There was something about it that made him want to draw closer, even though his instincts were telling him to stay away.

The third time it happened was after their final class. Usually, Ichigo would walk home with Mizuiro, but for some reason, he'd chosen to stay behind. He'd walked around school, feeling as though he were looking for something and not quite knowing what.

Ichigo hadn't liked that feeling at all. He hadn't felt it for a long time, not since his mother had died, but suddenly, he was nine years old again, walking along the side of the river where his mother had given her life to protect him, just walking and walking, from morning till night.

The halls of Karakura High were as familiar to Ichigo as his own home, but he still couldn't shake the sensation of being lost and searching for something that he knew he wasn't going to find.

Eventually he'd gotten panicked, and after that, he began to run. It was purely by chance that he'd stopped by the Handicrafts Club room to catch his breath, and when he peered inside, Ishida was the sight that met his eyes.

Ever alert, Ishida had looked up at him and Ichigo stared back wordlessly, not knowing what to say. The frown that usually creased Ishida's brow deepened even further, and he'd asked what the matter was.

Ichigo remembered being bewildered. There hadn't really been anything wrong with him in the first place, and he couldn't fathom at all why he suddenly felt so relieved when he'd clapped eyes on Ishida.

Ishida, at least, was familiar to him, and the sensation of being lost had slowly melted away. Here, in front of him, was something Ichigo knew. He knew Ishida's face, he knew his voice... he even knew the way his spiritual energy felt.

It was reassuring somehow, but when the moments ticked by without Ichigo giving any sort of response, Ishida had eventually shrugged his shoulders and turned around to go back to his seat.

Ichigo had acted on impulse, reaching out before Ishida could even take a single step forward, and wrapping his arms tightly around Ishida's waist.

Naturally, Ishida had tensed up, but before he could open his mouth, Ichigo got there first.

"Don't go... just let me stay like this for a while..."

He didn't know where the words had come from, or why he'd spoken them, but for some reason, he couldn't bear for Ishida to move away.

Ishida said nothing, but his body had begun to relax little by little. The two of them stood unmoving, in the glow of the setting sun, and once Ichigo's heartbeat had finally slowed to a more normal rate, he'd rested his head against Ishida's shoulder and closed his eyes.

The feeling of being lost and bewildered had disappeared, and for a long time, Ichigo just soaked in the sensation of having a warm body pressed close to his own.

It was only when Ishida chose to rest a hand over Ichigo's wrist that he'd fled. Just that one point of contact had been enough to frighten him into releasing Ishida, and he ran as fast as he could, blocking out the sound of Ishida's voice as he called out his name in confusion.

The fourth time it happened was almost a week later. Ichigo had been avoiding Ishida as much as he could, but he'd also forgotten how absolutely determined Ishida could be whenever he put his mind to something.

Ichigo knew that he really shouldn't have been surprised when Ishida managed to track him down on the roof of the school. He'd ditched English class to be alone for a while, and he'd assumed that he would have at least an hour without being bothered by anyone, before the door had opened and Ishida walked through it.

Ichigo had been startled to see a wriggling red thread in Ishida's left hand, and he hadn't even realised that it was connected to his own body until Ishida gave it a brief tug, before releasing it altogether and letting it vanish into thin air.

"Don't you remember what I told you? Shinigami reiraku are a different colour to most other souls'."

Ichigo tried to ignore him, but Ishida had made it almost impossible when he stepped up close to him and placed a hand on Ichigo’s shoulder. Ichigo started to shiver in response, and like most of his reactions to Ishida, he found himself being baffled and frustrated by them, but while he'd been trying to work things through in his head, Ishida had pulled at his shoulder, guiding him so that Ichigo was lying on the ground with his head in his lap.

Ichigo had frozen completely when Ishida began stroking his hair, and he remembered the sound of his trembling voice when he asked Ishida what he was doing. Ishida had merely stared down at him and replied in the most solemn tone that Ichigo had ever heard.

"I'm giving you what you want, Kurosaki. I won't let you run any longer."

And with those words, Ichigo fell apart.

He remembered shifting a little and curling his body around Ishida's, burying his face against his chest and breathing in the scent of his shirt. Ishida had smelled clean, like detergent, and once again, Ichigo had bathed in that feeling of familiarity.

Even then, he still hadn't understood anything that he'd felt, but he knew that it was good, and he knew that it was what he needed. For the first time in a long time, he'd felt safe. Just being next to Ishida had been enough to give him comfort, to give him a sense of security, like the one that his mother had given him, like the road home that he walked along every single day.

Ichigo also remembered the words that he'd spoken when he reached up and pressed his hand wonderingly against Ishida's face, scattering phantom kisses over his lips and cheeks with his fingers, as Ishida accepted both him, and the touches that he'd given.

"You know something? I really like your smile."

 

End.


	14. Fourteen

Title: Glimpses  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Shounen ai, vague spoilers for chapter 184 of the manga  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #24 (goodnight)

~~

"Kurosaki, you've been acting strange all night. Are you going to tell me what’s going on?"

Ichigo looked away quickly, unsure of how to voice his thoughts out loud. The reason he'd initially invited Ishida over had been to fix Kon up, but the more time he'd spent in Ishida's presence, the more he became aware of what Orihime's words had meant.

Ichigo had never been good at picking up on other people's spiritual energy, but even he had noticed something different about Ishida, something not quite right. Usually, he would have bickered about trivial things with Ishida, but instead, he'd been quiet and withdrawn as Ishida worked on Kon.

Ishida had been on his mind for most of the day, but even though Ichigo had stolen occasional glances in his direction, Ishida hadn't acted as though anything was out of the ordinary, and Ichigo had found himself unable to voice his concerns and suspicions.

Now, though, Ishida was staring at him expectantly. He wasn't even annoyed or irritated for once as he waited for Ichigo's answer, and that was why Ichigo found himself blurting out the first thing that came into his head.

"You lost your Quincy powers, didn't you? Back in Soul Society, I mean."

Ishida said nothing.

"You don't feel the same anymore, and you haven't been yourself. I know I'm not the most observant guy around, but even I can notice things like that." Ichigo tugged at the hem of his tee shirt, unsure of why he suddenly felt so awkward and self-conscious. "Ukitake-san told me that you fought with the captain of the twelfth division, and I just... I don't know..."

Ishida raised an eyebrow. "Are you *worried* about me, Kurosaki?"

"Idiot! Who'd be worried about *you*?!"

"If that's the way you feel, then why are you showing such an interest?"

"Just tell me if I'm wrong, dammit. *Did* you lose your powers?" The way Ishida's gaze broke away from his told Ichigo everything he needed to know, and the feeling of awkwardness only increased. "So... you can't make bows and stuff anymore? You can't do *anything*?"

Ishida's eyes narrowed and Ichigo knew he'd touched a sore spot. "Rub it in, Kurosaki. I'm surprised you aren't laughing at me yet."

Ichigo scowled and rose to his feet, crossing his arms over his chest. "What are you doing this weekend?"

"This weekend?" Ishida seemed taken aback by the question and Ichigo's scowl deepened.

"What, do you need to go home and check your diary first or something? I asked if you were free. If you are, you can come home with me after school and we'll train together."

Ishida seemed taken-aback. "Train? Train how?"

"Look, I'll be honest here when I say that I don't have a clue how to get your powers back, but in the meantime, I can at least teach you basic self-defence," Ichigo told him gruffly. "It's a start, right?"

Ishida smirked humourlessly. "Are you doing this because you feel guilty somehow? Because you feel obligated to me for whatever reason?"

"I did it because I wanted to, moron, so just be grateful and accept, otherwise I'll get pissed off and change my mind."

"Kurosaki, this is none of your concern. I went to Soul Society of my own free will. I fought that captain of my own free will. I knew what I was getting into, but I went ahead and did it anyway. I'm the only one to blame for the loss of my spiritual power. It has nothing at all to do with you."

Ichigo moved so quickly that he even surprised himself, lashing out with his fist and stopping it just millimetres before it could make contact with Ishida's face. "Pathetic," he snorted. "If you can't even block a punch like that, how the Hell do you expect to defend yourself, huh?"

Ishida's eyes were wide with shock, but it didn't take him long to recover his composure. "Of course I didn't block it. How could I? I wasn't prepared."

Ichigo huffed irritably. "Do you ever get advance notice in a fight, dumb ass? Have you ever heard anyone say, 'I'm about to hit you now, so please make sure to dodge'?"

"Kurosaki, I've told you already. This is none of your business." Ishida calmly pushed Ichigo's fist away, but Ichigo reached out with his free hand and clamped it down on Ishida's shoulder, causing the other boy to start.

"You keep saying that it's none of my concern, but dammit, I'm *making* it my business, whether you want me to stay away or not!" he said harshly. "Okay, yeah. Maybe I *have* been worried, but you know what? I do it because I choose to. I do it because I can."

Ishida was shaken, but his voice was cool and controlled as he stared Ichigo in the eye. "Why are you saying this? Why are you going to so much effort just for me?"

"I do it because you're my *friend*, stupid! Is it against the law for me to care about someone I like?!"

It was Ichigo's turn to be taken-aback when Ishida smiled at him. It was a real smile, not a smirk, and Ichigo blinked in confusion when Ishida casually brushed his hand away from his shoulder.

"At least you're sincere, Kurosaki," he said, and Ichigo's confusion grew even more.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked. Ishida chose to answer with actions rather than words for once, and Ichigo flinched instinctively when Ishida's fist rose up and stopped just short of hitting him in the face.

"All right. I accept your consideration."

Ishida lowered his fist, and Ichigo had just enough time to blink in bewilderment before Ishida leaned in and kissed him. It was brief, and lasted only for a couple of seconds, but Ichigo's lips continued to tingle when Ishida drew away from him. He could only stare blankly as Ishida reached over and grabbed the sewing kit that he'd brought over, storing it neatly into his book bag before slinging it over his shoulder.

"Goodnight, Kurosaki. I'll see you on Saturday."

Ichigo continued to stare long after Ishida left the room, but when he finally came to his senses, he quickly leapt onto the bed and threw his window open just in time to see Ishida walking through the front door of the clinic.

"You punch like a girl!" he yelled. "And you're a lousy kisser!"

Ishida merely glanced over his shoulder disinterestedly. "There's no need to worry," he said, with a smirk. "I'm sure you'll rectify both of those things over time."

 

End.


	15. Fifteen

Title: 24 Hours  
Author:Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG-13  
Warnings: Shounen ai, humour  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #10 (10)

~~

Today was the day. Ichigo had finally gotten to the point in his relationship with Ishida where they really needed to discuss matters. He'd been hoping to avoid it for a little while longer, but in the end, he decided it would be for the best.

Ishida had seemed fairly surprised when Ichigo turned up on his doorstep unannounced, but had let him in and told him to make himself comfortable. They'd suffered through a moment or two of the inevitable silence before the storm, when Ichigo finally gathered the courage to speak his mind.

"I think we're having too much sex."

Ishida stared at him blankly. Then he stared some more. It was only after he'd finished gawking at Ichigo that he actually opened his mouth to respond. "Whatever gave you that impression?"

"Well..." Ichigo shifted awkwardly in his seat. "I just... I mean... It's kind of scaring me, you know? You're showing these signs of addiction and all..."

"Wait, wait," Ishida interrupted. "You're saying that I'm addicted? To *sex*?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure *what* it is," Ichigo admitted. "It could be the sex, or it could be the way that you're affected by my spiritual energy, but whatever the reason, you always seem kind of... high... when we're doing it."

Ishida crossed his arms over his chest defensively. "I see. And how did you come to that particular conclusion?"

"Well, the change in your behaviour kind of fits. You have been pretty tired and irritable lately."

"I haven't been getting much sleep. It's nothing too serious"

"You're also showing signs of raging paranoia."

"That's because I worry about people stealing you away from me."

"Who the Hell would do *that*?"

"Sado-kun might. Or Urahara-san. I have many rivals, so I can't be too careful."

"That's the delusion talking, not you. See? You really do need help!"

Ishida sighed and went over to sit next to Ichigo on the couch before placing a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "You shouldn't be too concerned, Kurosaki. I'm fine. Honest."

Ichigo wasn't convinced. "But we never even talk to each other anymore! Of course I'm going to be concerned when that starts happening!"

Ishida moved his hand down lower and slid it up Ichigo's thigh, leaning in so that he could murmur into his ear. "There are other ways in which we can communicate, you know, and they're all highly effective."

"Ishida, I really think we're doing it far too much."

"Nonsense. If anything, we should do it more."

"And how is that even possible?"

"We could always skip school. Then we'd be able to fit more sex into our lives."

"Okay, now I *know* you have a problem. Dammit, stop stroking my leg! I'm trying to say something here!"

"I'm sorry. Should I move my hand elsewhere?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice." Ichigo gave a startled grunt when Ishida pressed a palm over the front of his pants and he tried his best to squirm away. "What are you *doing*, idiot?!"

"Seducing you, obviously." Ishida nipped at his earlobe before speaking again in a breathy tone of voice, "I want you, Kurosaki. Let's make love."

Ichigo groaned when Ishida began massaging his crotch, closing his eyes and forgetting what he'd been saying momentarily when Ishida's mouth latched onto his throat and sucked at the sensitive skin there. "Mmm... What were we talking about again?"

Ishida bit down on his collarbone gently, then licked the spot that he'd just marked. "It wasn't important. You just thought that we were having too much sex."

Ichigo's eyes fluttered open again, and he pushed Ishida away, ignoring the other boy's moan of protest. "Stop, stop. We *really* need to discuss this."

"But *why*?" There was a definite whine in Ishida's voice, and Ichigo tried his hardest not to feel guilty.

"Listen, I've been thinking, and... maybe we ought to try some sort of trial separation."

That got Ishida's attention, and the alarm showed clearly on his face. "Don't joke about things like that! You can't deprive me!" Ichigo narrowed his eyes and Ishida cleared his throat. "Of your love, I mean. That would just be cruel."

"I'm serious, Ishida. I know we're teenaged boys, and that we're naturally horny, but it's kind of strange to have as much sex as we do."

"We don't have *that* much sex."

"Oh really? And how many times a day do we usually sleep together?"

"Four, maybe five? I don't really keep count."

"See? It's unnatural!"

Ishida sighed and rested a hand on Ichigo's knee. "Kurosaki, you forget that we're not exactly what anyone would call normal. That's why we shouldn't have to worry about conforming to anybody else's ideals. You have a lot of spiritual energy... too much, actually, and you can't control it. I don't know why, exactly, but my body reacts to that energy, and absorbs it. It soaks up your energy like a sponge, if you will, and when we're having sex, I feed it right back to you, and we repeat this process over and over again in a constant cycle."

"Yeah, and it'll probably kill us if we keep it up."

"At least we'll die young. And happy."

"Ishida, I'm serious!"

"So am I!"

"You really want sex to be the death of you?"

"There are worse ways for us to leave this mortal realm."

"Okay, that optimism is pissing me off. *You're* pissing me off! And for the last time, stop stroking my leg!!"

Ishida made an irritated-sounding noise, but did as he was told, moving his hand from where it had been inching steadily closer back to Ichigo's crotch and placing it on the arm of the couch. "Well? Is this the only thing you came over for? To tell me that you want to start cutting back on sex?"

"I guess," Ichigo said, slightly awkward. "There are other things that we could do, though, like... talk... to each other..."

"Kurosaki, we have nothing in common. Whenever we *do* try to have a conversation, we always end up arguing. We're as different as cats and dogs. What would we actually have to talk *about*?"

"I dunno... how about sports? What baseball team do you follow?"

"I hate baseball. I might even go so far to say that I loathe it. Why do we have to talk about what you like, anyway? Why can't we talk about the things that *I* like?"

"Because they're all boring. Who the Hell wants to talk about knitting and sewing and croquet?"

"*Crochet*, idiot. And it's not boring. It's perfectly interesting."

There was a tense silence between them for a moment, before Ichigo decided to give it one last try. "School was fun today."

Ishida merely rolled his eyes. "Kurosaki, has anyone ever told you that you're a terrible conversationalist?"

"I'm only terrible because I'm trying to have a conversation with *you*." Ichigo pursed his lips stubbornly and frowned. "Just be honest with me, okay? What do you even get out of our relationship?"

"A great deal of physical satisfaction."

"Bastard! So it really *is* all about the sex! You only want me for my body! You use me!"

"That's not true! You get satisfaction out of it, too, don't you?"

"Which brings us right back to my original point! We're having too much freaking sex!"

An evil smirk crossed over Ishida's face and he raised an eyebrow mockingly. "What's the matter, Kurosaki? Can't keep up? Am I tiring you out?"

Ichigo bristled instantly. "You wish. I'm not tired at all! You're just jealous because I'm more energetic than you'll ever be! I could do it *ten* times a day if I really wanted to!"

"Ten times in twenty-four hours. Is that a challenge?"

"Hell yeah!"

"All right, then, I accept. Just don't start whining about being sore afterwards, and don't blame me if you can't walk straight, either. You complain far too much as it is."

 

End.


	16. Sixteen

Title: Signs of Attachment  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Mild shounen ai, humour  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #13 (excessive chain)

~~

If there was one thing that irritated Ishida most about Ichigo, it had to be his complete and utter recklessness. It was the same recklessness that drove him to choose methods that were downright insane, not to mention foolish, and Ichigo's disregard for dangerous situations was enough to make Ishida want to tear his hair out in frustration.

It certainly wasn't unusual for Ichigo to turn up for class with cuts and bruises all over his face, and lately, it hadn't been that uncommon for Ishida to offer help with patching him up. He'd also take the opportunity to lecture Ichigo, who never listened to what he had to say, and often accused of him of nagging too much.

"So, what did you get beaten up with today, Kurosaki? A rock? A baseball bat? Brass knuckles?"

"Nope. Today it was a lead pipe."

"You're kidding, right?"

"I wish I were. My head wouldn't be as sore, otherwise."

"They *hit* you with that thing?!"

"Right after I got my face smashed up against a chain link fence. It hurt like Hell, too."

Ishida could only stare in disbelief as Ichigo gazed back at him nonchalantly. "This is serious, Kurosaki. If you're not going to report it to the headmaster, at least call the police!"

Ichigo furrowed his brow in confusion. "Why would I want to do something like that?"

"Because assault is a very heinous offence, that’s why! You could have been *killed*! Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"

"It's not that big a deal. I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"That's not the point! You're not the one who goes around picking these fights, are you?"

"No, but I don't go running away from them, either."

"You really think everything can be solved with the use of your fists, don't you?"

"That's not true. I solve problems with my feet as well."

Ishida sighed and concentrated on keeping a reign on his anger, otherwise he would have added yet another bruise to the already impressive collection that Ichigo had acquired earlier that morning. "This is nothing to joke about, you know. It's bullying, pure and simple, and I really think you ought to tell someone about it."

Ichigo snorted dismissively. "Like who - one of the teachers? They wouldn't believe me even if I said anything. Besides, I don't get into trouble as often as I used to. My reputation gets ahead of me these days."

"Don't sound so proud about something like that! You make it sound like being a delinquent is a *good* thing! Now stop talking for a while and keep still so that I can see to that cut on your face."

For once, Ichigo did as he was told, staying silent and motionless while Ishida began fixing butterfly stitches over the wound on his cheek. Once that had been done, he ran his fingertips lightly over Ichigo's head, checking for bumps and gashes, and frowning when he touched hair that was matted and sticky with blood.

"That must have been where I got hit with the pipe," Ichigo said helpfully, after Ishida withdrew his hand to show him what he'd found. "I told you it hurt like Hell."

Ishida clicked his tongue irritably and held his index finger in front of Ichigo's face. "Okay, I want you to track this. Don't move your head, just follow it with your eyes."

Ichigo looked slightly confused, but again, he did as he was told. "Is all this stuff really necessary?"

"Of course it is! You could have concussion or a haemorrhage or worse! People have died from things like this, so be quiet while I examine you some more!"

And Ichigo was quiet, at least for a couple of seconds, before he chose to speak up once more. "You're really good at this, you know. Have you taken one of those first aid courses or something?"

"A long time ago. My father insisted on it. He's a doctor."

"You've never told me that before."

"That's because I don't like to talk about him. It's been almost four years now since we last spoke to one another, and I have no desire to change that."

"How come? Did he do something to piss you off?"

"Mind your own business, Kurosaki."

"Sheesh, you don't have to be so touchy all the time. You shouldn't have brought it up if you didn't feel like talking about it! You're always sticking your nose into my affairs, so it's about time that I started doing the same!"

"I only do it because I worry sometimes, even though I shouldn't. My concern tends to be rather wasted on you, unfortunately. I can't even trust you to take care of your own injuries."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "What if I told you that my dad was a doctor, too, and that he'd taught me basic first aid back when I was just a kid?"

Ishida's cheeks turned pink, but his expression remained aloof. "I would say that none of that actually mattered, because you're an idiot who can't do anything right."

"I don't remember asking for your help. See? You really are a nosy bastard who enjoys meddling with other people's lives!"

"If that's the way you feel, then fine! Don't expect me to offer any help from now on!"

Ichigo reached out and caught Ishida's wrist before he could leave the room, however, grinning sheepishly and pointing to a scrape on his elbow with his free hand. "You forgot to fix this."

Ishida glared in response, but he realised that in his own awkward way, Ichigo was trying to apologise for what he'd said earlier, and Ichigo proved him right a few seconds later.

"You can meddle if you want to. It's not like I actually mind or anything. I don't have people queuing up to take care of me like this, either, so I'm not going to turn you down when you try to help me out."

Ishida narrowed his eyes, but tugged his wrist free and sat back down in his seat. "The least you could do is show a little gratitude. I could be doing better things with my time, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You just can't stand the idea of being indebted to a Shinigami, and that's why you always go to so much trouble where I'm involved." Ichigo pursed his lips and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "You're always following me around and stuff, like you're anchored to me by your chain of fate... only you're not dead yet..."

"Are you suggesting that I'm showing signs of attachment to you, Kurosaki?"

"Well, I know that you'd stay on in the living world just to haunt me if you ever died, but I think you'd just do it out of spite more than anything. You'd do it just to piss me off."

"Now you're insinuating that I have no life whatsoever, and that the only reason I exist is to be your personal healer. Is that right?"

"Nah. I'm sure you exist for other things, too."

"Such as?"

Ichigo knitted his brows in concentration for a moment, and then grinned. "You exist for sewing. Isn't that your motto? 'I sew, therefore I am'?"

Ishida glared at him half-heartedly. "Kurosaki, please stop talking, otherwise I'll be forced to take the rest of these stitches and fasten them onto your mouth."

Ichigo looked mildly offended, but quickly got over it as Ishida began packing up his things. "Hey... why'd you fall out with your old man?"

"I thought I told you to mind your own business?"

"You did? I guess I couldn't have been listening all that well. So why don't you talk to him anymore?"

"Because he hates me, the Quincy, and the fact that I refuse to follow his orders by forging myself a decent career - one that I'll actually get paid for."

"Sounds harsh." Ichigo paused. "Wait... didn't you say that you were going into fashion design when you finish school? I always thought that kind of thing was pretty well-paid, once you make the right connections and all."

Ishida seemed surprised. "You remember me saying that?"

"Sure I do. We had that assignment about five months ago about career options, and that was what you put down for yours."

"I'm impressed. You still don't remember half the class, but something like my assignment will actually stick with you. I'm really not sure what to say."

"Oh, I remember because it was funny. Everyone laughed when you said that you wanted to spend the rest of your life making women's clothing. But anyway, that's not important. Why does your father hate the Quincy so much? I thought you were the only one left?"

"I assume that's the truth."

"Maybe there are other Quincy out there somewhere? They could be stuck out in the desert or the rainforest or something. You could put an ad in the paper and see if anyone responds!"

"You really must be suffering from head trauma, Kurosaki. You're acting even stupider than usual."

"I'm not *that* dumb. You've probably forgotten already, but my grades are some of the best in our year! My old man never has anything to complain about when I get my report cards, that's for sure. He's not allowed to come to parent-teacher conferences anymore, though. Not after what he did in my last year of junior high."

Ishida raised an eyebrow in spite of himself. "I don't remember any specific details, but I do recall hearing stories the next day about him getting arrested."

Ichigo's expression turned sour. "Believe me, you don't *want* to remember the details. The only thing that could erase them from my mind is hypnotherapy, but that's way too expensive, not to mention hokey. I'm sure some of the teachers could use it after my old man encouraged them to 'jump into his welcoming bosom'. He's such an embarrassment, I swear."

"It must be nice, though, to have a father who's enthusiastic and willing to let you do your own thing."

"Not really. Wanna trade?"

"As much as I dislike you sometimes, I'd never do something as cruel as forcing someone like my father onto you."

"Okay then, we won't trade, but you could borrow my old man for a while if you want. If you don't mind the endless jokes and humiliation, he's yours for the weekend." Ichigo brightened. "That's a pretty neat idea, actually. I could auction him off down at the orphanage. I'd be able to make some money, get rid of him for a few days, *and* give the little kids something to smile about."

"You'd sell your own father?"

"I'd be loaning him. There's a difference."

Ishida smiled sadly. "You're an idiot, Kurosaki. You don't know how lucky you really are."

"No, you're the idiot." Ichigo cuffed him over the head. "You're just a pessimist who envies what other people have instead of noticing the fact that you have a bunch of awesome friends who really care about you."

"Oh? Since when have we ever been friends?"

"Since the day you came to your senses and forgot all about that revenge crap."

"Okay then, I'll rephrase my question. Since when have you ever been 'awesome'?"

"Asshole. I've always been awesome. You just never noticed, is all. Anyway, we'd better get a move on, otherwise we're going to miss all of our morning classes."

Ichigo got to his feet, then paused and gave Ishida a funny look. Ishida stared back at him challengingly, and Ichigo seemed to hesitate a little before finally leaning in. Ishida's eyes widened when he realised just how close they were all of a sudden, and he couldn't help thinking about how Ichigo was within kissing distance.

Ichigo seemed to notice a split second after he did, because his face reddened and he quickly backed away, giving Ishida what he'd probably meant to be a friendly punch in the gut. Ishida's knees buckled and he had to grab Ichigo's arm to keep from falling.

"What was that for, you fool?!" he wheezed as he tried to straighten up.

"Reflex," Ichigo said sheepishly, with a shrug. "Um... you're still going to let me copy your notes, though, aren't you?"

Ishida could only glare. "No. I'm never going to let you near me again after this. You really are more trouble than you're worth, Kurosaki Ichigo."

 

End.


	17. Seventeen

Title: Family Affairs  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: R  
Warnings: Shounen ai, lime, humour  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #25 (fence)

~~

Ichigo had known for a long time now how strange Ishida could be sometimes, and although he was currently occupied with what they were doing at the moment, he still couldn't help noticing Ishida's rather unusual behaviour.

"Um, Ishida? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Kurosaki, shut up."

Ichigo frowned in concern, but he was soon distracted when Ishida began moving his hand down lower, gasping when Ishida's lips sucked bruisingly at his neck. It was getting very difficult to think at all now, but it still seemed odd to him. It almost felt like Ishida was waiting for something, only Ichigo had no idea what. He didn't seem to be giving his full attention to Ichigo, which again was very disconcerting, especially considering how single-minded Ishida could be when he wanted something, namely sex.

It just seemed as though he'd been going through the motions for some reason, and that nagging feeling of insecurity soon came back to gnaw at Ichigo's thoughts.

"Hey, Ishida... are you bored with me? Would you rather be doing something else?"

That got Ishida's full attention, and he answered in total honesty. "Of course I'm not bored! Why on earth would you say something like that?!"

The expression on Ishida's face let Ichigo know that he was telling the truth, as he'd seemed genuinely surprised by the question, but Ichigo just couldn't let it slide.

"I dunno... you just seem kind of... out of it tonight. Maybe we'd better stop."

Ishida's surprise was quickly replaced by alarm, and he shook his head urgently. "Absolutely not! I want this! I want *you*, Kurosaki!"

For the first time that evening, Ichigo found himself believing Ishida's words. It helped when Ishida kissed him so fervently, letting him know that he hadn't really been forgotten after all, and Ichigo's insecurities melted away as Ishida worked on getting the two of them naked.

Feeling Ishida's hands and mouth all over his body just helped to remind him exactly why he'd started putting up with Ishida's eccentricities in the first place. They didn't always get along, and they often spent more time arguing than anything else, but at least the sex was always fantastic.

It was only when Ichigo's ears picked up something over the sound of his own groans, and he tugged at Ishida's shoulder. "Hey, did you hear that?"

Ishida looked up from where he'd been kissing his way over Ichigo's stomach. "I didn't hear anything. What are you talking about?"

Ichigo squirmed when Ishida's tongue dipped into his bellybutton, causing him to forget momentarily about what he'd just said. "I just... mmm, I just thought it sounded like the front door was being opened."

"Don't be ridiculous," Ishida told him. "Who would visit at this time?"

He did have a point, and when Ishida began to move his slippery fingers down lower, Ichigo decided that he really was being foolish. Besides, no one ever visited Ishida except for him and the little old lady living next door who called round twice a week to lend Ishida some of her knitting patterns and drink tea with him.

It made even less sense when Ichigo remembered that an ordinary visitor would knock first instead of just entering, and even if it was a burglar, it was obvious by the shabby appearance of the apartment block that there really wasn't anything worth stealing.

Ishida was right. He'd probably just imagined the noise.

In any case, Ishida's usual enthusiasm for sex seemed to be renewed as he crawled over Ichigo and positioned himself, closing his eyes and holding his breath as he slid inside. He barely even gave Ichigo time to adjust before he started moving again, slowly at first, but he soon began picking up speed. Ichigo moved with him, gasping when Ishida leaned down and whispered into his ear.

"Moan louder, Kurosaki."

Ichigo would have done so anyway, even if he hadn't been told, especially when Ishida's hips thrust forward sharply, knocking the breath out of his lungs in a strangled-sounding cry.

"Again. Moan louder."

Ichigo didn't have much of a choice. Ishida was moving harder and faster, and all Ichigo could do was voice his appreciation as Ishida had wanted. He vaguely hoped the old lady next door wouldn't be able to hear him, but then all thought was driven from his mind completely when Ishida's fingers wrapped around his erection.

A few quick tugs were all it took to finish him off, but just before Ichigo could orgasm, his eyes flickered over to the open bedroom door. He got the shock of his life when he saw that someone was standing right there watching, but before he could say or do anything, his body was convulsing with release.

Ishida followed soon after, and after Ichigo had fought with his momentary exhaustion, he opened his eyes again and found himself looking over at the doorway, just to make sure that he hadn't imagined someone being there.

Unfortunately, he was proven wrong. There really was someone at the entrance of the bedroom, a fair-haired someone who resembled Ishida remarkably in appearance. Ishida himself seemed to recognise him instantly, and Ichigo didn't like the smirk that crossed his face one little bit.

"Good evening, Ryuuken," Ishida said smoothly. "I see you got my message."

Ichigo stared blankly from one to the other before uttering a very confused-sounding, "Huh?"

~~

Ten minutes later and he was still bewildered as he sat in the living room opposite Ishida's father, but he was far too busy trying not to look him in the eye as he fixed his gaze resolutely on the floor.

'Ishida needs to replace this carpet,' he thought to himself. 'It's looking kind of crappy and worn.'

The state of Ishida's furniture was the least of his worries right now, though, and Ichigo could still feel the burning on his face and neck. It was mortifying enough that someone had actually walked in on them having sex, but it was even more embarrassing to find that it was Ishida's last remaining relative.

Ichigo didn't think he'd ever stop blushing again, and he couldn't understand why Ishida was sitting beside him so composedly. His face was calm and passive, and he seemed not to be suffering the same torment that Ichigo himself was going through.

Ichigo wished that he could just sink through the floor in order to escape the situation, or that a fence would just magically erect itself and obscure him from view.

Unfortunately, there was nothing on earth that would grant his most desperate desire, just Ishida, his father, and the ominous tick-tock, tick-tock of the clock over the wall. Not that Ichigo dared to look up and see what time it was, of course, seeing as his eyes were still glued to the floor, but it seemed to be rather later for visitors to turn up unannounced.

Then again, their visitor wasn't unannounced. Ichigo could remember Ishida saying something about a message or an invitation, and although he was baffled as to why Ishida had wanted his father to come visit him when he'd always hated his guts, Ichigo found himself even more confused by the fact that Ishida had called his father by his given name, not 'father' or 'dad', just 'Ryuuken'. Ichigo knew he wasn't one to talk about manners, but even if Ishida and his father didn't have the best relationship, it still seemed very rude for Ishida to address his only parent so coldly.

The silence in the room grew longer and heavier until eventually, Ichigo thought that he might just throw himself out the window in order to escape the suffocating atmosphere. He was spared from such a fate, though, when Ryuuken finally cleared his throat.

"This is what you called me for, Uryuu?" he asked. "To introduce me to your little... friend?"

Ichigo didn't like his condescending tone at all, but Ishida seemed unaffected by it.

"That's right," he said curtly. "He's also the reason why I won't be coming home with you."

"This child?" said Ryuuken sceptically. "This *Shinigami*?"

Ichigo was so surprised that he actually glanced up before he could stop himself. "How did you know that?"

Ryuuken merely 'hmph'd' and waved a hand impatiently, conjuring up Ichigo's bright red reiraku. "I knew from the moment I stepped into the apartment. You allow your spiritual energy to leak with foolish abandon."

Ishida momentarily lost his composure and leaned over so that he could snatch Ichigo's reiraku out of Ryuuken's fingers. "Give that back! It's *mine*!"

"Actually, it's mine," Ichigo corrected, but Ishida glared at him so fiercely that he shut his mouth and sank back into his seat without another word.

"Anyway." Ishida crossed his arms over his chest resolutely. "As I said before, Kurosaki is my reason for staying here. That is why I refuse to go home with you."

"So you're happy here," Ryuuken said, raising an eyebrow. "Even though you live in squalor and can't even afford to own a telephone, you will insist on being stubborn."

"I don't need your money," Ishida told him, sticking out his chin in a way that showed that he wasn't about to change his mind. "I can survive perfectly well with what grandfather left behind."

Ichigo tapped Ishida hesitantly on the shoulder. "Hey, if you needed to borrow money, you could have just asked me."

"I don't need your charity, Kurosaki," Ishida said haughtily. "I don't need it anymore than I need that person's!"

"He's your *father*!" Ichigo hissed. "Don't call him 'that person'!"

"At least your friend seems to have some sense, Uryuu." Ryuuken narrowed his eyes. "What did you say your name was, boy? Kurosaki?"

"Actually, I haven't said it yet," Ichigo replied sheepishly. "My name is-"

"Don't introduce yourself!" Ishida told him sharply.

"Um... okay. Should I go, then, instead?"

"Don't do that, either!"

Ichigo's heart sank. He'd been hoping that he could just slink off and leave Ishida and his father to their glaring contest, but he'd forgotten how lousy his luck could be sometimes, and so he sighed and continued to stay where he was.

"Hey, Ishida." Both men looked at him and Ichigo flinched. "Um... the younger one, I mean."

"You may call me by name, Kurosaki," Ishida said graciously. "After all, you are my lover."

Ichigo twitched. He didn't know whether this bizarre high-and-mighty act was for Ryuuken's benefit, or if he was just being affected by the tension in the room, but Ishida's attitude was really starting to irritate him. "Okay then, Uryuu. Is there a reason as to why you need me here? I mean it's really just family business between you and your dad-"

"That person."

Again, Ichigo twitched. "Whatever. Anyway, I really think I should go home. I know that I'm intruding and-"

"You're not intruding!" Ishida wound an arm around his shoulders and yanked Ichigo closer, scowling at his father as though issuing a challenge. "You belong here more than he does. Besides, you're my family, too, remember?"

Ichigo blinked. "I am? Since when?"

Ishida puffed his chest out importantly. "Since your father promised me your hand in marriage."

"He did what?!" Ichigo squawked, shoving Ishida away and jumping to his feet. "That stupid old man. I'm going home right now so that I can wring his freaking neck!"

Ishida yanked him back down again. "You're not going anywhere! You're staying with me, Kurosaki. Forever, if possible."

Ichigo gulped as Ishida's glasses glinted ominously. "If you say so..."

Ishida nodded approvingly, then turned to his father with an air of triumph. "Well, there you have it. Are you going to disown me now?"

Ryuuken retaliated by glinting his own glasses, and Ichigo wished that he wouldn't. If they both kept this up, he'd probably end up going blind at some point from all those reflected rays of light.

"Why would I disown you?" Ryuuken asked coolly. "It's true that you are foolish and incompetent, but unfortunately, you're still my son. Besides, your grandfather wouldn't have wished for it."

"You never cared about him!" Ishida said accusingly. "You never cared about me, either! The only person you've ever cared about is yourself!"

"If I really was that selfish, why would I bother sending you a cheque for living expenses every month?"

"You know very well that I always mail them back!"

"Which just proves my point that you're a stubborn, sullen boy who needs to come home and learn some manners!"

"I don't *want* to go home!" Ishida actually stamped his foot, and Ichigo flinched back a little. "I demand that you disown me right this instant!"

"You are a *child*, Uryuu! You have no right to demand anything of me!"

"I am *not* a child! And if you don't disown me, I'll... I'll... I'll throw bricks through your windows!"

Now this was a situation that Ichigo had no idea how to deal with. Although he found himself being embarrassed and humiliated by his own father on a regular basis, he'd never had a serious argument with him, and he'd never wanted to be disowned, either. He couldn't understand what Ishida was going through and he wasn't sure that he wanted to try.

However, he did know that the bickering in front of him was starting to piss him off, but Ishida was so intent on yelling at his father that he'd failed to notice Ichigo's left eyebrow twitching dangerously.

It was only when Ishida began shouting insults at his father (most of which he'd apparently picked up from Ichigo during *his* screaming matches at home) that Ichigo finally lost his temper.

"FOR GOD'S SAKE, ARE YOU EVER GOING TO SHUT UP?!"

And if those words hadn't been enough to silence them, the kicks that Ichigo dealt out to Ishida and then his father most definitely were.

Ishida was used to those kicks, of course, as he tended to receive them almost every other day, but Ryuuken seemed to be frozen in shock. Anyway, it achieved the desired effect in that it actually got both of them to stop shouting at each other, and Ichigo paced between them restlessly.

"Okay, now you-" he pointed a finger at Ryuuken, "-are going to apologise for being such an asshole to your son, while you-" he jabbed his thumb in Ishida's direction this time, "-are going to apologise for being such an idiot."

"Apologise?" Ishida echoed disbelievingly. "To *him*?!"

Ichigo towered over him and began radiating so much spiritual energy that the walls actually creaked a little under the strain. "Just do it."

Ishida's eyes widened and he took a step back in fear. "But Kurosaki, you don't understand! He's the one in the wrong! I thought you were supposed to be on my side?" Ichigo glared, and again, Ishida stepped back. "All right, all right!" He cleared his throat and spoke very, very stiffly. "I'm sorry that I've been such a disappointment. I'm sorry that I've been such an eyesore. I'm even sorry for being born. Please forgive me, otherwise Kurosaki will kill us both."

Ichigo looked over at Ryuuken expectantly, but Ryuuken hadn't even blinked since Ichigo had last given him any attention. Ichigo's earlier irritation disappeared and he suddenly started feeling guilty for what he'd done. He wasn't usually so disrespectful to his elders, but drastic times called for drastic measures, and so he'd dealt with the problem before him the only way he knew how - with violence.

Ichigo found himself wondering if he'd actually managed to kick a few brain cells loose and send Ryuuken into a catatonic state, and the guilt began to worsen even further.

"Um, Ishida? I think I broke your father."

Ishida shrugged his shoulders disinterestedly. "So what if you did? I like him better this way."

"But he really isn't doing anything. Should I call the police?"

"And do what? Report yourself?"

"I could at least take him home to the clinic, just to make sure that I haven't given him brain damage."

"Leave him where he is. If I stick his arm out at an angle, I can use him as a tie rack."

"Ishida, I'm serious!"

"You're worrying too much. It's just that person."

"He's your *father*! At least *pretend* to show some concern!" Ichigo knelt down in front of Ryuuken and waved a hand in front of his face. "Um... hello? Are you okay?"

Finally, Ryuuken's eyes came into focus, and he slowly raised his gaze to meet Ichigo's. "I think I love you," he slurred.

Ichigo stumbled backwards with a yelp. Ishida quickly drew his bow and aimed it at his father's head.

"Dammit, what are you doing?!" Ichigo cried.

"What does it look like?" Ishida told him. "I'm going to shoot him!"

"This is all your fault!"

"You're the one who kicked him and made him like this!"

"And you're the one who invited him over in the first place, so *you* can take the blame!"

"It was supposed to be a perfect plan! He was supposed to disown me and then storm off, not lose a few brain cells and fall head over heels for you!"

"You should know by now that all of your stupid plans tend to backfire! Besides, it really is your fault. I should have guessed that your old man enjoys being kicked almost as much as you do!"

Ishida immediately turned to aim his bow at Ichigo. "Take it back! Don't ever compare me to that creature again!"

Ichigo held up his hands in defence. "Okay, okay, I take it back! You're nothing like him!" Ishida lowered his weapon and Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief. "Fine, I admit it. We're both to blame. That's why we need to quit arguing and just think of a solution to this problem before he comes back to his senses."

"All right, then, we'll take him to the train station," Ishida said reluctantly. "Although I'd prefer to stow him on a plane and get him out of the country, I guess Hokkaido or Okinawa would be far enough away for me."

"You'd really buy your own father a one-way ticket out of the capital?" asked Ichigo in disbelief.

"Why would I bother wasting money?" said Ishida, clearly surprised by the question. "I was going to find a really big suitcase and stick him with the rest of the baggage, where he belongs."

Ichigo couldn't help but shudder. "I can't believe I'd forgotten how capable you are when it comes to holding a grudge."

The corners of Ishida's lips turned upwards into the scariest smile Ichigo had ever seen before in his life. "I'm sure you'll be keeping it in mind from now on, Kurosaki. Just keep me happy and I promise you won't have anything at all to worry about."

 

End.


	18. Eighteen

Title: Patience  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG-13  
Warnings: Shounen ai, lime  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #30 (kiss)

~~

Kissing Ichigo requires patience, and Ishida knows that he has to be careful about it. If he isn't, then Ichigo will bolt. If he feels threatened or agitated by something, he'll always respond negatively, and that's why Ishida makes sure to be gentle. It's not about forcing Ichigo to want something, it's about coaxing him into a state where he's relaxed enough to give in and accept what Ishida is offering him.

Ishida knows by now what Ichigo does and doesn't like. Any public display of affection isn't something that tends to go down well with Ichigo, and he much prefers to have a little privacy for what they do together. It's part shyness, part macho pride that keeps him from dropping his guard in front of anybody else, and although it's silly and juvenile, he still needs to maintain the image that he's built in people's minds.

When he's alone with Ishida, however, it's a different story. He's as grumpy and irritable as ever in the beginning, but with the right approach, it doesn't take long for him to become less tense and more open, and the results are always worth the effort.

He always pretends that he isn't interested at first, or that it's simply a chore or a nuisance for him to bear with until it's over, but unless he's in a really bad mood about something, he doesn't resist when Ishida leans in close.

Ishida has to be careful about that, too, though. Ichigo isn't a tactile person, and he doesn't react well to an unexpected touch. That's why Ishida makes his intentions clear right from the start, and why he deliberately makes sure to hold himself back.

When their lips touch, it's only brief. It's barely enough time for Ishida to savour the sensation, but he has to remind himself to keep things light, at least for the time being. He knows not to push Ichigo for too much, too soon, and instead of allowing himself to grow frustrated, he simply concentrates on enjoying the experience for what it is.

Besides, it doesn't take long for those fleeting kisses to grow longer, but Ishida still refrains from applying too much pressure. Ichigo's mouth parts little by little, and it's only then that Ishida brings his tongue into play, running it over Ichigo's lower lip and moistening it with his saliva.

The next kiss is firmer and more insistent, but it'll take a while longer before Ichigo finally yields. He isn't kissing back yet, either, but he's more responsive now than he was earlier. Ishida knows how much Ichigo hates being teased, and although it's tempting to give him something that he enjoys, only to take it away again moments later, he continues to hold himself in check.

Besides, he's waiting for Ichigo to make the next move.

It's only when he draws back slightly and Ichigo follows his mouth with his own that Ishida knows he's won. He always waits for Ichigo to touch him first, and as soon as Ichigo's arms rise up to wind around his shoulders, it's the only encouragement Ishida needs to quicken the pace.

They've done this countless times before, but Ichigo always lets out a gasp of surprise when Ishida shifts so that their bodies are pressed flush against each other. There's no more need for coaxing now, and Ishida claims Ichigo's mouth at last.

Although his mouth is currently occupied, his hands are far from idle, and they frame Ichigo's face, thumbs stroking over his chin and cheeks before moving back a little further so that he can thread his fingers through Ichigo's hair.

Ishida changes the angle of the kiss, tilting his head a little as he searches for the closest possible fit. He doesn't really need the encouragement, but Ichigo's appreciative moan is more than enough to remind him that although what they're doing right now is incredible, more would definitely be better.

Ichigo seems to be thinking along the same lines, because he moans again when Ishida's tongue slides over his own, hot and slick and wet. Ishida doesn't settle just for that, however, as his tongue strokes against Ichigo's teeth, the roof of his mouth.

It always makes him feel good to steal Ichigo's breath away in such a manner, and it's even better to draw back and take in his appearance. Ichigo's lips are still slightly pursed in annoyance and the frown is back on his forehead, but Ishida knows that it'll soon disappear the instant he moves in for another kiss.

Ichigo isn't nearly as tense as he was, though, and he's actually pushing closer to Ishida instead of choosing to pull away. There's no trace of Ichigo's previous reluctance, just faint irritation over Ishida having put a stop to things momentarily, coupled with an eagerness for more, now.

Ishida prefers to ignore Ichigo's obvious impatience for a moment so that he can look his fill. Ichigo doesn't like being stared at, however, and his frown deepens even further when he realises that Ishida is determined to take his time.

Ishida watches as Ichigo licks his lips, parting them enticingly as he closes his eyes. Ishida doesn't particularly feel like resisting the temptation, and it's easy to give Ichigo what he's asking for.

Ichigo is quick to anger, but he's also quick to forgive. It doesn't take him long at all to forget his irritation when Ishida kisses him once again, and the soft sighs and muffled moans that he makes drives Ishida to deepen the kiss even further, drawing Ichigo's tongue into his mouth and sucking on it hungrily.

He can feel Ichigo's arms tightening around him, and when he breaks away to catch another glimpse, his breath hitches in response to what he sees.

Ichigo stares back at him, eyes glazed, pupils dilated, lips swollen, and when Ishida rubs the back of his thumb over Ichigo's cheek, he finds that Ichigo's skin is hot to the touch. When Ishida moves his hand down over Ichigo's chest and rests it over his heart, he can feel it thudding under his fingers, seducing him with its hypnotic beat, and when his hand glides lower still, a faint cry from Ichigo breaks the spell that he's found himself falling under.

It's just as well, because Ichigo starts tugging at his hair seconds later, and he's not being terribly gentle about it either. Ishida has gotten him past the point where he wants to be kissed, and all that's left now is sheer need. It excites Ishida to know that he can get Ichigo to this stage, but when Ichigo's tugging grows ever more insistent, it's difficult for Ishida to hide his smirk.

It's time that Ichigo learned a few things about manners.

 

End.


	19. Nineteen

Title: A Word of Warning  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Mild shounen ai, humour  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #9 (dash)

~~

It was unusual for Kurosaki Ichigo to be alone. He always seemed to be surrounded by friends, and that's why Ishida Uryuu was so surprised to see him on his own for once. It was also rare for Ichigo to slip Kuchiki Rukia's leash, but rather than looking worried or troubled Ichigo actually seemed fairly relaxed.

It wasn't something that Ishida was used to seeing, and it actually caused him to stop and stare for a while.

It had been over an hour and a half since their last class had ended, but Tuesday was when the members of the handicraft club met up. It was the only day where Ishida actually lingered behind at school. Usually, he just walked straight home.

He'd been watching Ichigo for a long time now, and he knew that his classmate didn't participate in any after-school clubs. He didn't have any kind of part-time job, either, at least not one that he got paid for. Most people didn't even know about his work as a Shinigami, after all.

Still, Ichigo wasn't the type to lie around doing nothing, and Ishida wondered if there could be a reason for his idling.

Again, he thought to himself how strange it was to see Ichigo like that. Ichigo never let his guard down around other people, and he was always so loud and brash. Now, though, he was resting on his back with his eyes closed, and it almost looked like he was bathing in the glow of the setting sun.

Even the perpetual frown that creased up Ichigo's forehead seemed softer than usual. It could have been a trick of the light, of course, but Ishida suspected that Ichigo's scowl was only absent because he had no one to yell at or get angry with for once.

And so, he continued to watch as the shadows played across Ichigo's face. The slowly fading rays of the sun made his hair seem darker somehow, until it was more red than orange. Ishida could see the steady rise and fall of Ichigo's chest, but apart from that, there was no other movement.

It was a little unsettling for Ichigo to be so still. Even in class, he tended to move around or fidget, and he often twisted in his seat in order to talk or pass notes to his neighbour. He was nothing like Ishida himself, who was always perfectly calm, perfectly quiet and perfectly unmoving.

Then again, Ichigo was the kind of person who always seemed to be in the thick of things. It wasn't that he went looking for attention on purpose. He was just a magnet for trouble and turbulence, and Ishida didn't know whether to admire or resent him for that.

Once upon a time, it had been easy for Ishida to hate Ichigo. Ishida had always been aware of their differences, but in the beginning, he preferred to focus more on their similarities. Two boys in the same school, in the same class, both of them possessing a high amount of spiritual power, both of them with the ability to see things that most other people couldn't...

Ishida still remembered the first time he clapped eyes on Ichigo. He’d actually sensed him long before he walked through the door of the classroom to introduce himself, but Ichigo's appearance had attracted him just as much as his spiritual presence.

When Ishida closed his eyes, he could picture the awkward look on Ichigo's face that he wore back then as he apologised to the teacher for his tardiness. He'd gotten into a fight with a couple of older students, and then he'd gotten lost after he went off to find the nurse's office.

His nose was still bleeding, and his right eye was puffy and swollen. A band-aid and two butterfly stitches had been patched onto his left cheek, and the reaction from most of the other pupils had been shock.

Sure, they'd talked and whispered among themselves as Ichigo took his seat, but not one of them had been brave enough to face his irritable scowl. Ishida remembered being more intrigued than frightened by the new boy, and it had been impossible for him to concentrate on his work while Ichigo sat three desks away from him, leaking out his spiritual energy with foolish abandon.

Then there had been the appearance of the soul whose chain of fate kept her anchored to the school that she'd died in. Ishida had seen her on a number of occasions, but he'd never spoken to her. He'd never even acknowledged her presence.

Ichigo did, though. Ichigo acknowledged her.

Maybe she'd found herself being drawn to his energy, or maybe she'd just gotten bored and wandered into their class for something to do. She hovered next to Ichigo's desk for a while, until eventually, Ichigo gave her a sideways glance... and then he smirked.

The ghost of the girl had followed Ichigo when he took off for break, and that was the last Ishida ever saw of her. He'd assumed that Ichigo had managed to help her pass on, which was something he himself had never done. He was a Quincy, after all. Sooner or later, the spirits that chose to be anchored to the mortal world by their regrets would turn into Hollows, and when that happened, it was his duty to destroy them.

Still, he'd tried talking to Ichigo after he returned, but Ichigo just breezed right past him like he didn't even exist. It hurt a little that Ichigo would sense the presence of an ordinary deceased soul, and not the presence of a living classmate who possessed more spiritual energy than any ghost, but Ishida refused to be put off.

At first, he didn't understand why Ichigo would want to ignore him, and it had taken a long time for Ishida to realise that Ichigo either couldn't or wouldn't pick up on other people's spiritual energy.

He'd been less eager to get Ichigo's attention after that, and his resentment had only grown when Ichigo chose to befriend people like Chad, Keigo and Mizuiro. Not one of them possessed the ability that he and Ichigo shared, and yet Ichigo preferred to socialise with those three, rather than Ishida.

Ishida had been unable let it go, though, and he'd brooded for months and months before Kuchiki Rukia came crashing into their lives. When Ishida learned of Ichigo's newly acquired Shinigami powers, it hadn't taken long for his resentment to turn itself into hatred...

"Quit hovering like that, dammit. It's pissing me off. If you're not going to sit down, then do me a favour and get lost."

It wasn't the first time that Ichigo's bluntness had interrupted Ishida's reminiscing, but Ishida still couldn't help being offended. He wanted to offer up a retort, but he suddenly found himself at a loss for anything to say. He supposed he could just go home and forget about Ichigo... or he could take Ichigo up on his offer by sitting with him for a while.

Well, it wasn't like he really had anything better to do.

Ichigo kept his eyes closed as Ishida made himself comfortable by his side, crossing his legs underneath him and glancing over at his companion. Once again, Ichigo spoke up, scaring Ishida half to death.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's rude to stare? Or is the scenery really that dull in comparison to me?"

Ishida's cheeks flushed an angry shade of crimson, and he scowled, even though he knew Ichigo couldn't even see it. "Don't flatter yourself, Kurosaki. The scenery is about a hundred times more pleasant to look at than you are."

"Then go look at it, then. It's creepy to feel your eyes on me all the time."

"You can't even sense my spiritual presence. How on earth could you tell that I was watching?"

"I just know sometimes. Besides, I'm used to it. People always stare when you're different."

Ishida looked away uncomfortably, and found himself blurting out something that he rather would have kept secret. "I like it. I like the fact that you're different."

Ichigo cracked open one eye in surprise, and then he grinned. "You're a funny guy, Ishida."

Ishida bristled immediately and turned back to Ichigo with a glare. "I wasn't making a joke! If you're planning on annoying me this much, then I might as well go home!"

"Okay then. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Instead of getting up and leaving, though, Ishida merely blinked in disbelief. "That's it? 'I'll see you at school'?"

Now Ichigo looked confused. "Don't act like that. It wasn't supposed to be a threat."

"I *know* it wasn't a threat, you idiot!"

"Then why are you getting all worked up?"

"Because... because..." Ishida huffed irritably and raised his hands in defeat. "Oh, forget it. Just go back to the way you were before!"

Ichigo raised one eyebrow but did as Ishida said, closing his eyes with a shrug.

Ishida found it easier to relax when Ichigo was quiet. He never would have admitted it, but he kind of liked the way Ichigo affected him. Besides, no one else possessed the ability to irritate him so easily, or get him flustered without making much of an effort.

Ishida didn't know why, but it almost felt like he was mirroring Ichigo's emotions sometimes. It was bad enough for him to be so sensitive to Ichigo's spiritual energy. At least this was easier for Ishida to deal with. The fact that Ichigo seemed so at ease for once made *him* feel at ease, too, and he wondered if Ichigo was doing it on purpose.

No, that could never be possible. As usual, Ichigo had no idea how much he affected Ishida, but instead of being angered by that knowledge as he usually might, Ishida merely reclined onto the grass and stared up at the sky.

Ichigo seemed to be in a talkative mood, though, and once again, the sound of his voice broke the silence between them.

"What were you thinking about earlier?" he asked suddenly, shifting a little to make himself more comfortable. "You stood there for an awfully long time."

Ishida chose to keep his gaze fixed on the sky above as he answered. "It's not important. I was just remembering something about the past."

"Only old people do that. Shouldn't you be thinking about the future instead?"

"I don't even know if I have one. Anything could happen. I might get hit by a bus tomorrow."

"Don't be stupid. Everyone has a future. And getting knocked down by a bus would be a really lame way to die. You want to get yourself run over by a monster truck instead."

"Do you see many of those driving around the streets of Karakura?"

"Only on weekends, so be careful when you cross the street, okay?"

A soft burst of laughter escaped Ishida before he could even stop it, and Ichigo stared over at him in surprise. Ishida quieted himself immediately.

"Ignore what happened just now," he said, thoroughly embarrassed. "You didn't hear anything."

"Sure," Ichigo snickered. "I must have *imagined* you laughing for the first time in your life." He paused for a second or two before speaking up again. "Hey, give me your hand."

Ishida blushed and stared down at Ichigo in mild distaste. "You're asking me to hold your hand?"

"Hell no, I'm not asking you to do *that*! Just let me see your palm, idiot. I'm going to predict your future."

"You know about palmistry?"

"Not really, but I've seen them do it on TV."

Ishida was still blushing when Ichigo reached out and took hold of his hand, and he couldn’t fight the shiver that he gave when Ichigo traced an index finger over his skin.

"Hmm... I know this has to make sense in some way or another, but I'll just play it by ear instead." Ichigo stopped and cleared his throat for dramatic effect. "Okay, this mark here is your whatsit... your faith line."

"It's *fate* line, Kurosaki. And anyway, you're looking at the wrong mark. It's my heart line."

"Whoa, you really know a lot about this stuff, don't you?"

"More than you, apparently."

"I said I'd be playing this by ear, didn't I? Now shut up and let me read you. Okay, fate line, fate line. Um... you're destined to die a horrible death, but at least you'll be able to settle down first and find yourself a nice job. How's that, huh?"

"Reassuring. Just be grateful that you don't do this for a living, Kurosaki, otherwise you'd lose a lot of customers."

"Stuff it. I'm moving onto your heart line now, so be quiet."

"That's my head line."

"There's a head line? What does it do?"

"It's supposed to tell you how intelligent a person is."

"Oh. Well in that case, I don't have to read it, because we both know how smart you are. Anyway, heart line, heart line. Um... you're going to fall in love and have fifteen kids... but then you're going to fall out of love and have thirteen more. Wow, that's a lot of children, Ishida. What are you, a rabbit or something?"

"Very funny, Kurosaki."

"I'm a regular comedian. Now be quiet. I'm trying to find your life line." Ten seconds later and Ichigo was stumped. "This is serious, Ishida. You don't have one at all. That's a really bad sign. It means you're already dead."

Ishida could only roll his eyes in response. "If that were true, then how could I be lying next to you like this? Besides, my lifeline is *here*. Take a look."

"Whoa... that's pretty short."

"I guess I'll end up dying young, huh?"

Ichigo released Ishida's hand and moved away with a snort. "Don't say that. Besides, only morons believe in stuff like palm reading and horoscopes. But just in case, I'll give you something that'll change your future forever."

Ishida watched in confusion as Ichigo rummaged around in his bag for a moment before pulling out a black marker pen. He really ought to have seen what was coming, but it was still a shock when Ichigo took hold of his hand again and drew over his lifeline with the pen in an effort to make it look longer.

"Screw fate. Now you're going to live for all eternity!"

"Kurosaki, you *fool*! Is this permanent ink?"

"Um... yeah? But why are you so angry? Thanks to me, you're going to have a really long life!"

"Thanks to you, I won't be able to get this pen off of my hand for *days*!"

"Oh... my bad."

"That's all you have to say for yourself, is it? 'My bad'?"

"You don't have to start getting all worked up over it. It's only a bit of ink!"

"It isn't just any ink, Kurosaki, it's *indelible* ink!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Sheesh!" Ichigo stopped arguing suddenly and checked his wrist for a watch that he wasn't even wearing. "Hey, what time is it?"

Ishida ignored the pen on his palm for a moment in order to glance at his own watch. "It's only just turned 7PM. Do you have to be somewhere?"

"You bet I do! Man, I'd better dash. My dad will kick the crap out of me if I'm late for dinner again."

Ishida's eyes widened in shock. "Your father *beats* you?!"

Ichigo looked taken-aback by the question, but then he shook his head with a rueful smirk. "It's not like *that*. You'd know what I meant if you met my old man..." Then his smirk grew wider. "Actually, you *can* meet him if you come over to my place for something to eat. Think of it as an apology for the pen stuff."

"I don't think that's a good idea. Your father sounds kind of... scary..."

"Oh, he's just a moron. Even little kids aren't afraid of him. And anyway, he's only ever violent with his nearest and dearest. It's his way of showing affection, I guess. Besides, I'm way stronger than he is, so I'll protect you, if you like."

"I am *not* a helpless female, Kurosaki, so don't you dare try treating me like one."

"You have to admit that it'd be a pretty dramatic entrance if I walked through the front door with you tucked under my arm."

"I may not look it, but I'm armed and intelligent. I could stab you to death with my knitting needles and still manage to make it seem like an accident."

"You could swoon in my embrace, you know. I'll even give you a hero's kiss for your trouble."

"Go to Hell."

"Been there, done that, bought the tee shirt to prove it. Now come on, or we really *will* be late!"

Ichigo dragged Ishida to his feet, but Ishida stopped him before he could go anywhere. "Why are you doing this, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo just frowned, clueless as ever. "Why am I doing what?"

"Why are you bantering with me? Why are you inviting me back to dinner at your house? Why are you even *acknowledging* me?"

"What the Hell is that supposed to mean? Look, you don't *have* to accept if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you or anything!"

"I know that, but... *why*?"

"Because I can, all right? Sheesh, if I knew that you were going to make this big a deal out of it, I wouldn't have made the offer. Now, are you going to come or not?"

Ishida managed a tiny smirk. "Will you really protect me from that fearsome father of yours if he tries anything?"

Ichigo cuffed him on the back of the head. "Don't be a dumb ass, Ishida, it doesn't suit you. Besides, you won't get kicked. Not on the first meeting, anyway. If my old man actually takes a shine to you... well, that's the time to start worrying."

"But you're stronger than he is, right? You kick me in the head all the time, and I've never yet been hurt by it."

"Your skull must be tougher than I thought. I guess it just means that I'll have to kick you harder next time."

"Not if I kick you first."

"Ishida, you punch like a girl. Why would your kicks be any different?"

"Beside I've asked Arisawa-san to start giving me lessons?"

Ishida didn't usually like telling untruths, but it was worth it when Ichigo paled considerably. The name 'Arisawa Tatsuki' was enough to strike fear into any man's heart, even the one who had known her since she was four years old.

"In that case, maybe I'll let up on the violence for a while," Ichigo said eventually. "I'll just have to figure out some other way of knocking some sense into your head."

"You may be stronger, Kurosaki, but I'll always be smarter," Ishida said smugly.

For a second, he thought that Ichigo was about to punch him, so it was a surprise when Ichigo merely grinned and forced him into a headlock so that he could give Ishida a rather forceful noogie.

"I never said I wouldn't do this, did I?" he crowed.

"Let me go, you idiot!" Ishida whined as he tried to wriggle out of Ichigo's grip. "You're messing up my *hair*!"

After another minute or so of roughhousing, Ichigo finally let him go, but before Ishida could even breathe a sigh of relief after being almost choked to death, he found himself slung over Ichigo's shoulder instead.

"Jeez, Ishida, you're too skinny," Ichigo told him. "You're as tall as me, but you don't weigh nearly as much."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ishida asked tetchily as he beat on Ichigo's back ineffectively with his fists. "Just put me down already! You're making a scene!"

"Nuh-uh," Ichigo replied cheerfully as he strode off down the street. "I'll let my little sister feed you up when we get home. She's always been a sucker for waifs and strays. Oh, and can I copy your Math homework as well? You can even stitch Kon up, if you have the time."

Ishida rolled his eyes and responded in a sarcastic tone. "Anything else?"

"Sure, you can give me a massage. I got into a fight earlier this afternoon, and I think I might have pulled a muscle."

"If that's the case, then why are you carrying me around like a sack of potatoes?"

"Because you made that really girly squeak when I threw you over my shoulder. It was funny."

"Remember my knitting needles, Kurosaki. Then remember the fact that I can kill you with them. Now stop talking and let me down so that I can walk on my own two feet."

 

End.


	20. Twenty

Title: One of Those Days  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG-13  
Warnings: Shounen ai, humour  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #8 (our own world)

~~

There were good days and then there were bad ones. Ichigo had seen his fair share of both, but on occasion, the Goddess of Luck decided to laugh in his face and give him a terrible, horrible, no good, very *bad* day.

And he was currently suffering through one of them.

It had been fairly ordinary to start off with. His father had attacked him in his sleep, as per usual, and after a hurried breakfast, he'd arrived at school just before the bell rang for homeroom. His first two lessons of the morning had been Math and Biology, but before he'd been able to wander over to Chad, Keigo and Mizuiro during break, Ishida had grabbed his arm and steered him in the direction of the washroom.

That sort of thing was never really a good sign. Ichigo wasn't keen on the idea of fooling around at school for a number of reasons. One of them was that his work tended to suffer as a result and the other was his fear of getting caught. Not that Ishida ever worried about either. The only reason he tended to be more daring than Ichigo was because of his spotless record. The teachers all adored him, too, and he was able to get away with pretty much anything, thanks to his good grades, impeccable manners and geeky charm.

There were many things that Ichigo hated about Ishida, but his ability to breeze through any subject and get top marks without even having to work for them annoyed him more than his other quirky personality traits. It made people like him, who actually tried hard, look bad.

Ichigo wasn't a genius by any stretch of the imagination, but he could study, and his grades were among the highest in the year. He also had to make a real effort to achieve those scores, and it grated more than he cared to admit whenever he saw Ishida's name sitting comfortably at the number one spot in the end of term results table.

Although Ishida excelled at academia, he was still reasonably human. He still had his faults, just like everybody else. Unfortunately for Ichigo, Ishida's weaknesses were almost as weird as Ishida himself, and he found himself being reminded of that fact when the Quincy locked them into the nearest stall and began to rummage around in his book bag.

Ichigo was proud of his restraint when he saw what Ishida had been searching for, and instead of yelling or striking out with his fists, he merely crossed his arms over his chest and stared.

"Well?" said Ishida expectantly. "What do you think?"

And there they were. Ishida's biggest weakness.

"Panties," said Ichigo flatly. "I can't believe you brought *panties* to school."

Ishida had always possessed a great fondness of anything lacy and delicate, and his most recent fetish for the past couple of weeks had been underwear. Not that he actually liked them on *women*, of course. That would have been far too normal. Instead he seemed to prefer a more masculine model, and Ichigo tended to be the unfortunate soul who spent most of his free time playing the part of a life-sized dress-up doll.

"Well? Aren't you going to put them on?" Ishida's tone was perfectly calm, and he waited patiently for Ichigo's answer as though his request was nothing at all out of the ordinary.

"You're asking me to *wear* those things?" Ichigo spoke slowly and evenly, and again, he was pleased with his carefully controlled reaction. "You're saying that you want me to just change right here and now?"

"I'm impressed, Kurosaki. You don't usually cotton onto things so quickly. You've never been this agreeable before, either. I must say that I rather like it." Ishida was looking far too pleased with the situation, and Ichigo almost felt bad about having to burst his bubble.

Almost.

"Ishida, there's no way in Hell that I'm going to put those things on, so don't bother asking me again, otherwise I'll punch you in the face. Now, I'm going back to class and you're going to follow me like a good little boy, and you're going to forget all about this stupid obsession. Understood?"

Ishida was not placated. "Do you know how much I spent on these panties? Or did you just assume that they randomly fell out of the sky one day and into my lap?"

"Knowing you, I'm surprised they didn't come from one of the lockers in the girls' changing rooms. Either that or one of your sewing club friends donated them."

"How rude! I only ever give you the best, Kurosaki, and that's why these things are store bought and brand new! I know your size, so they should be a perfect fit!"

Ichigo twitched. "I don't *have* a size, idiot. Not in women’s clothing, anyway."

"Yes you do," Ishida told him bluntly. "I know all of your measurements by heart. I can make you a skirt just as easily as I can make you a pair of pants."

"I don't want your stupid clothes! I don't want those panties, either!"

"But you have to wear them! They were expensive!"

"So take them back and get a refund!"

"I can't do that. I threw away the receipt. That's why you have to put them on for me."

Ishida began unbuckling Ichigo's belt, and he worked quickly enough so that he managed to unhook it before Ichigo succeeded in peeling his fingers away.

"Hey, quit it!"

He'd forgotten that Ishida tended to fight dirty, but instead of scratching him or pulling his hair, Ishida simply swooped in and latched his mouth onto Ichigo's, kissing him fiercely and leaving Ichigo gasping and weak at the knees when he pulled away again.

It took Ichigo another few seconds to come back to his sense, but when he did, it was to find that Ishida had finished undoing his pants and was now sliding them down his legs along with his boxer shorts. His familiar, *manly* boxer shorts.

"I said stop, you fool! Didn't you hear me?!"

Ishida clearly wasn't listening. Instead he knelt down before Ichigo so that he could slip his shoes off for him, dragging his pants and underwear away once that had been accomplished, and quickly tugging the panties into place. Ichigo couldn't even look, he was so embarrassed, but Ishida's fingers were brisk and efficient as he arranged Ichigo comfortably and then admired his efforts once he'd finished.

"I knew white would be a good choice," he said conversationally. "I thought about buying black, but I decided against it in the end. You wear enough of that already, and besides, you look better in white. It's more virginal."

"You're trying to say that I'm still pure after all the things that you've done to me?" Ichigo growled irritably, still refusing to meet Ishida's eyes with his own.

"You whine and complain, but I know that you enjoy it. Even now, you're turned on... aren't you?" Ishida leaned in and nuzzled against Ichigo's taut stomach, breathing in deeply and inhaling his scent. "You have very sexy hips, Kurosaki. They're perfect for panties."

Ichigo bit his lip sharply and forced himself to keep from jerking in response to Ishida's hot breath fanning over his sensitive skin. "Whatever. Are you going to take them off now?"

Ishida shook his head and placed a wet, open-mouthed kiss against Ichigo's belly, before pulling away and motioning for Ichigo to step back into his pants. "Keep them on for a while. I want you to wear them to class."

Ichigo squirmed awkwardly. "I can't do that! People will know!"

"How so? The only way they'll find out is if you tell them." Ishida's lips curved upwards in a smirk as he drew Ichigo's pants up and fastened them into place. "See? You and I are the only ones who know what you're wearing. Just think of it as our little secret."

"So our world is a seedy place of cross-dressing and debauchery?" asked Ichigo wryly as he adjusted his belt and tried to ignore the blush on his face. "It's a good thing people *don't* know about it, otherwise we'd get arrested."

"Stop whining. Just be happy that I'll be spending the rest of the day thinking about you and your sexy underwear instead."

"*Don't* think about it! I know I'll be trying as hard as I can to forget!"

Ishida's smirk widened and he leaned in close, sliding a hand down to rest over Ichigo's crotch and squeezing it gently as he whispered into his ear. "I'll be thinking all right. I'll also be coming up with inventive ways of taking those panties off again when it's time. Until then, just sit tight and wait until the final bell rings. Got that, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo nodded shakily.

~~

Sitting tight was easier said than done, though. All Ichigo had to do was just act natural, but that proved to be an impossible task. He'd spent the rest of the morning shifting agitatedly in his seat and alternating between scowling and blushing. He was worrying more about the underwear than his odd behaviour, but like Ishida said, it wasn't like anyone else would actually find out.

Chad was the only one who managed to come close to the truth, and he took Ichigo aside on their way up to the roof for lunch. Concern showed clearly on his face, and Ichigo couldn't help feeling bad for causing his best friend to worry so much.

"Are you all right?" Chad asked carefully. "It seems like something is bothering you."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Ichigo assured him, trying not to sweat. "It's just been kind of a weird day, is all."

Chad didn't seem to be convinced. "Are you sure there aren't any problems? I know the teachers probably wouldn't be of any help, but you can still talk to me if you're being troubled."

"Thanks man," Ichigo said, slapping Chad on the back and smiling slightly. "I'm good, though. Really."

Chad was quiet for a long moment and Ichigo could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he mulled over what he was about to say next. It was something of a surprise when the words came out of his mouth, though, but Chad's expression was solemn as ever when he spoke them. "I noticed that Ishida has been acting strangely, too. Is he bullying you?"

Ichigo broke out into hysterical laughter and it took him a good thirty seconds or so before he managed to get himself back under control. "*Hell* no. It's nothing like that."

"Then what is it?" asked Chad shrewdly. "I've been watching the pair of you all day long. There's obviously something going on."

Ichigo's face reddened, and he made sure to avoid Chad's gaze when he responded. "You're imagining stuff. Ishida is being a pain in the ass, just like usual. I'll hit him later, I promise."

Chad sighed and briefly placed a hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "You are a very bad liar. You always have been and you always will be. If there's something that you need to keep hidden from me, then I won't pry, but if you ever need to talk..."

"I know, I know," Ichigo said hastily. "I get it. And thanks. Really, just... thanks."

Even if he'd wanted to, he couldn't tell his best friend about this particular problem. Chad was the most patient and understanding person he knew, but even he would probably run for the hills if Ichigo actually said anything. He didn't want to be treated like a leper for the rest of his life if the truth ever got out, and he certainly didn't want to lose Chad as a friend, so he chose to just keep his mouth shut.

Damn that Ishida and his weird-ass fetishes...

~~

The rest of the school day had been even more of a nightmare after Chad began to suspect something. Ichigo had been forced to put up with two people staring a hole into the back of his head instead of just the one, so he buried his face in his text book and tried to shut out everything but the teacher's voice.

When the last bell rang, Ichigo said his goodbyes, and then made his way to the handicrafts room club, where he knew that Ishida would be waiting for him. Sure enough Ishida was there, and he looked far too satisfied when Ichigo stepped inside

"Have you any idea how entertaining you are when you spend all day blushing?" he asked mildly as Ichigo closed the door behind him.

"Shut the Hell up," snapped Ichigo, throwing his book bag aside and perching himself on the edge of a random desk.

"Now, now, don't be like that," Ishida told him, walking over to Ichigo and placing a hand possessively on his thigh. "Sado-kun's bad mood seems to have rubbed off on you. He spent most of the afternoon just glaring at me. Did you tell him to do that?"

"He thinks you're bullying me for some reason," Ichigo replied, narrowing his eyes when Ishida's fingers began inching upwards.

"Is that so?" Ishida didn't sound terribly interested in the matter, as evinced by the fact that he'd moved in closer so that he could start undoing Ichigo's belt.

"Stop that!" hissed Ichigo as he pushed Ishida's hands away. "Anyone could walk in!"

"They won't," Ishida said confidently. "No one ever comes in here except for club meetings."

His sneaky fingers had already begun to pry open the buckle, working quickly and forcing Ichigo's pants down before he could even protest.

"I said stop, dammit!" Ichigo glanced over his shoulder nervously. "At least get off me so that we can move away from the windows. And lock the door while we're at it."

"You worry too much, but I guess you have a point. It would be bad if anybody spotted us. You can't do it when you're being watched, right?"

"Mind your own business, asshole!"

"Such a shy boy..."

Ishida found himself being momentarily stopped in his tracks when Ichigo punched him in the face, but it wasn't anything worse than what he already had to put up with on a daily basis.

"Say anything stupid like that again and I'll hit you even harder next time," Ichigo warned, cracking his knuckles.

"Shall I continue, now that you've got that ridiculous display of macho aggression out of your system?" Ishida asked dryly as he rubbed his sore cheek.

Ichigo looked away haughtily. "Whatever. Just quit it with the dumb comments already."

"As you wish. But in return, you have to spread your legs."

"You want me to do *what*?!"

"You heard. Now spread your legs for me, Kurosaki."

Ichigo's face flushed, but he didn't resist when Ishida nudged his thighs further apart. "I thought I told you not to say anything weird?"

"So you did. However, I merely gave you an order and you followed it. That's all."

"Arrogant bastard..." Ichigo would have liked to bitch some more, but Ishida was already running his hands over his body, touching every little bit of bare skin he could find. "Dammit, if we're going to do this, at least lock the door first!"

"Fine," Ishida said reluctantly. "But don't move until I come back!"

"As if I'd go anywhere looking like *this*," Ichigo snorted as he gestured down at his current state of undress. Ishida seemed all too pleased by it, but he pulled away with a sigh and made his way over to the door. Much to his surprise, and Ichigo's, the door slid open before he could twist the lock as a very suspicious-looking Chad peered inside.

Ishida froze immediately, but it took a second or two for Ichigo's brain to register the shock. It was only when Chad's gaze moved to rest on him that he snapped his legs shut and yanked the hem of his shirt down in an effort to cover what Ishida had been so intent on admiring earlier. His face and neck burned with embarrassment, and he couldn't even bring himself to look up and see Chad's reaction.

"Uh..."

That seemed to be the best Chad could manage at the moment, and Ichigo couldn't blame him. After a brief and very awkward silence, Ishida cleared his throat.

"As you can see, Sado-kun, Kurosaki isn't being bullied at all. It's quite the opposite, actually."

"Huh..."

Chad still hadn't said anything coherent yet, and Ichigo wondered if his brain had broken down completely after catching a glimpse of his best friend in panties.

"Well, now that we've cleared everything up, would you like to take your leave? Or would you prefer to stay instead?"

That got Ichigo's attention, and he glanced over at Ishida with a scowl. "Stop joking around, moron!"

Ishida raised an eyebrow. "He's your friend, isn't he? Shouldn't you be thanking Sado-kun for his concern?"

Ichigo opened his mouth to speak but Chad got there first. "Why are you wearing women’s underwear?" he asked weakly.

A devious smirk appeared on Ishida's face and Ichigo just knew that he was about to say something completely humiliating.

He just hoped that he'd be able to live through it.

 

End.


	21. Twenty one

Title: One Week  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: R  
Warnings: Shounen ai, lemon  
Status: Complete (sequel to 24 Hours)  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Theme used: #28 (Wada Calcium CD3)

~~

Although there was a downside to having too much sex, having none at all was infinitely worse, as Ichigo soon found out after finally making good on his threat. Ishida hadn't been happy at all with the idea of a trial separation, and after their most explosive argument yet, Ichigo had stormed out of Ishida's apartment and neither one of them had spoken a word to each other since then.

Ichigo had been going out of his way to avoid Ishida, but even that was difficult, seeing as they both attended the same school. Still, he'd made a supreme effort to ignore Ishida's presence as much as he could during class, and Ishida had obliged Ichigo by paying him the same respect.

In short, life had been a lot quieter since their initial falling out. When he wasn't busy with his studies or Shinigami work, Ichigo was often cooped up in his room with only Kon for company. At least he had his family to keep him occupied, though. He refused to think about what Ishida was doing without him, and how lonely he might be feeling on his own.

Besides, Ichigo refused to cave in first.

Ishida had predicted it, of course, when they'd argued. He'd seemed to think that Ichigo wouldn't be able to make good on his threat, and that he'd only be able to last twenty-four hours without sex at the most. Ishida's smug and confident attitude had annoyed Ichigo more than he cared to admit, and he could just imagine the look on Ishida's face if he did come crawling back with his tail between his legs.

At first, he didn't think it would be so tough. Abstaining from sex for one week had sounded like a piece of cake at the time, but Ichigo hadn't counted on the withdrawal symptoms being so severe. He was irritable and short-tempered at the best of times, but it was only after he'd cut off all contact with Ishida that he realised how much he'd actually come to depend on him.

Ichigo would never have admitted it to Ishida, but he enjoyed sleeping with him on a regular basis. The sex itself was always great when they were having it, but it also tended to have a more positive effect on Ichigo's personality. Since he and Ishida had gotten together, his family and his friends had remarked on the change that had occurred within him, saying that he was much more likeable and relaxed these days.

Now, however, he seemed to have gone back to square one. The longer he went without sex, the more irritable he became. He'd even started snapping at his little sisters, much to their annoyance, and although he hated himself for treating them in such a way, he couldn't help taking his anger out on the nearest available person.

He'd even started going back to the dojo after years of absence in the hope that if he wore himself out through strenuous physical exercise, he'd be far too tired to even think about getting horny. It hadn't worked. If anything, it only served to make him even more frustrated.

Cold showers hadn't done much, either. No matter how many of them he took, it still didn't seem to keep him from thinking about Ishida, and about what he was missing.

Even masturbating hadn't done the job. It had been a temporary relief, but in the end, touching himself just wasn't enough. Ishida was all that he could think about, and it didn't feel nearly as good to have his own hands on his body instead of Ishida's. Ishida's touch was so much better, and he'd gotten skilled at pleasing Ichigo over the time they'd spent together.

He needed Ishida. He needed *sex*.

Maybe his growing desperation had fried his brain, but after the fourth day of their separation, Ichigo had begun to think that giving in wouldn't be such a bad thing after all. The humiliation of admitting defeat to Ishida wouldn't be so awful if it meant getting laid after Ishida had finally finished gloating.

In any case, he couldn't be the only one going crazy. Ishida was the one with the addiction, not him, so Ichigo had been certain that he would be the one hit hardest by abstinence. However, Ishida also had a will of steel and more self-control than Ichigo could ever hope to possess. Even he had a difficult time matching Ishida in sheer stubbornness, and he knew deep down inside that clinging to the hope of Ishida surrendering first was just foolish.

Although Ichigo's schoolwork had been suffering as a result of having too much sex, it was getting steadily worse now that he'd been going without. He had a hard time concentrating on anything, and the constant admonishments and disapproval from the teachers really hadn't helped. He really didn't give a damn about learning the benefits Wada Calcium CD3 could bring to an elderly person's life, especially since he knew he wouldn't survive to see the end of the week without sex, let alone retirement.

Drastic times called for drastic measures, and on Friday afternoon, five days after the argument, Ichigo finally snapped.

He'd followed Ishida home, once school had finished, making sure to keep a safe distance between him and his target. He knew that Ishida would be all too aware of his presence, and Ichigo found himself being more irritated than ever at his lack of control. Not being able to keep a reign on his sexual impulses was bad enough, but the fact that he couldn't even keep his spiritual pressure hidden frustrated him enough to want to tear his hair out. He wouldn't even have the benefit of catching Ishida by surprise. Not that it mattered. Ishida had probably predicted the date and the time of his eventual surrender.

In spite of all that, however, Ichigo intended to go down fighting. Ishida would preen over the fact that he'd broken a ban that he himself had set in place, but if everything managed to go well, Ichigo wouldn't give him the time for self-satisfaction.

As expected, Ishida answered the door with a smirk when Ichigo knocked upon it, but it was quickly wiped away from his face when Ichigo grabbed him by the collar and roughly shoved him inside the apartment.

Although Ichigo would readily admit to himself that Ishida was a hundred times smarter, he also knew that he could easily overpower Ishida with sheer brute strength. Ishida struggled but Ichigo's grip was tight, and after dragging Ishida into the bedroom, he tossed him onto the bed and snarled at him to stay still while he stripped.

Ishida seemed frozen in place by Ichigo's aggressive behaviour, and he stared at Ichigo like a rabbit in the headlights as the other boy wriggled out of his uniform.

Once that had been accomplished, Ichigo clambered up onto the bed and pushed Ishida none too gently onto his back, fumbling at his tie before he finally managed to loosen the knot with his clumsy fingers and wrench it away from Ishida's neck. The last of Ichigo's patience ran out when he encountered his next obstacle, and when the buttons on Ishida's school shirt proved to be too much of a challenge, Ichigo simply grabbed both sides and ripped as hard as he could, opening up the article and sending the offending buttons flying in all directions.

Ichigo's mouth began to water at the sight of Ishida's bare chest and he dimly heard the sound of his own moans as he leaned down and ran his hands greedily over every inch of skin that he could find, peppering it with kisses.

He allowed himself only a moment of that before moving his fingers down lower and tugging Ishida's belt free, unzipping his pants and yanking them down along with his underwear. His excitement grew once he finally had Ishida right where he wanted him, naked and far too terrified to protest. He managed a few weak stutters once or twice, but quickly shut up when Ichigo glared at him.

Maybe he'd feel bad about giving Ishida such a shock later on, but for now, Ichigo was far too intent on following through with the decision that he'd made.

The lubricant was where Ishida usually kept in, in the bedside table, and after Ichigo managed to uncap it, he quickly squeezed a generous amount of the contents onto his palm, not bothering to warm it up a little before curling his fingers around Ishida's straining cock and smearing the gel over his heated skin. Ishida moaned and bucked in response, snapping his eyes shut and arching his back when Ichigo applied more of the lubricant.

Once that was done, he got himself into position, keeping his grip at the base of Ishida's arousal steady as he impaled himself onto it, lowering his body until Ishida was inside him as far as he could go.

Ichigo threw his head back with a groan, and he had to stop for a few seconds so that he could grow accustomed to the sensation once again. It was a little uncomfortable at first, but that wasn't surprising. He hadn't given Ishida any time to prepare him, and it had been a while since they'd last done this, but as always, it felt incredible, and Ichigo felt like hitting himself for voluntarily giving up something so amazing.

Ishida seemed to be thinking along the same lines, judging by the expression of ecstasy on his face, and Ichigo moaned once more at the sight.

He didn't have long to regret his foolish actions before his body began moving again, slowly at first, but quickly gaining in momentum. Ishida's hands had risen to rest on his hips, but he wasn't trying to guide Ichigo or force him into anything. He let Ichigo set the pace instead, moving with him instinctively as he allowed Ichigo to take control for once.

They'd never done it like this before, but Ichigo found himself enjoying the act immensely. He could change the pace or even slow it down, if he wanted to, and he finally began to understand Ishida's need for dominance in the bedroom. It felt good to have that kind of power, to be able to do something to Ishida and have him react, and it caused Ichigo to keen low in the back of his throat as he began riding Ishida harder.

It was even better when he tensed and arched his spine, crying out loudly as he came. He could hear Ishida calling out, could feel him jerking underneath him as he, too, reached orgasm.

Ichigo was too tired to think about it anymore, and after lifting himself up and off, he collapsed by Ishida's side in exhaustion, flopping onto his stomach and closing his eyes with a sigh.

Although the sex was always fantastic, the calm that followed was even better. It seemed like far too long since Ichigo had experienced this sort of blissful relaxation, and he just lay there, limp and drained and drifting in his happy place. The tension and frustration of the past five days had melted away, leaving Ichigo utterly spent and sated as a result.

"Why the Hell did we stop doing this?" he asked sleepily after he'd caught his breath, rolling onto his back and blinking up at the ceiling.

"It was your idea," Ishida muttered peevishly. "No more sex for a week, remember? Well, that was the original plan, but *someone* couldn't seem to follow it through."

"Stop whining. You wanted this, too, right? So just shut the Hell up and go to sleep before I decide to knock you out instead."

Ishida made an indignant little noise, but did as he was told, turning over onto his side and settling closer to Ichigo before speaking in a rather subdued tone of voice. "Kurosaki?"

"Hmm?"

"Remind me not to do something this insane again. You're scary when you're horny."

 

End.


	22. Twenty two

Title: Till Death Do Us Part  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Shounen ai, humour, slight spoilers for chapter 189  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Themes used: #11 (gardenia) and #22 (cradle)

~~

In an ideal world, Ishida would have had plenty of time to woo Ichigo and give him a proper courtship, but unfortunately, his father had decided to turn up out of the blue and ruin his life all over again. Although Ishida resented the man more than words could even express, he'd eventually gone along with his wishes after much consideration and mental anguish.

Ishida couldn't care less about his father, but he really needed to gain power, and preferably gain ownership of the Quincy cross. Although it belonged to him by rights, it had instead been handed down to his father, and Ishida was just itching to get his hands on the artefact. The power was also important to him, of course, because without it, he wouldn't be able to protect himself or Ichigo. Not that Ichigo would want to be protected (he'd always been stubborn like that), but Ishida needed to do *something* for him. Besides, it was his duty to care and provide for Ichigo, now that they were married.

The two of them had run off together the day before in order to elope, and it had been the most satisfying moment of Ishida's life to say 'I do'. He'd been happy over having Ichigo legally bound to him, but he'd also been pleased with the fact that he was defying his father. Although he'd made Ishida promise never to associate with a Shinigami again, he hadn't said anything about not marrying one.

Still, the ceremony had pained Ishida in a way. He would have much preferred something more grandiose, with plenty of people watching, and Ichigo in a lavish gown, created lovingly by himself. Instead of a blushing bride, however, he'd gotten a scowling scruff bag. Granted, he should have allowed Ichigo time to change before dragging him off to the nearest registry office, but they were running on a very tight schedule.

Ishida knew the vows were more important than their appearance, but it had still saddened him slightly when Ichigo turned up for the biggest event of his life clad in a pair of ratty jeans and a tee shirt with the slogan 'I'M STANDING NEXT TO AN IDIOT'.

At least they hadn't taken any pictures to commemorate their official joining.

Ishida had gotten Ichigo a ring, though. It wasn't anything fancy or even expensive. A plain gold band had been the only thing Ishida could afford, but it had served its purpose well enough, and would hopefully let potential rivals know that Ichigo was spoken for when Ishida chose to take his leave.

Besides, he'd needed to make some mark of ownership, and since hickeys tended to fade after a couple of days, Ishida had been forced to present Ichigo with something a little more permanent. He'd initially suggested a tattoo, but the idea of having 'PROPERTY OF ISHIDA URYUU' branded onto his forehead hadn't gone down well with Ichigo at all, and so, they'd decided on a simple piece of jewellery instead.

If only they'd had the money for something better. If only they'd had the time to do things properly instead of having to rush right through them. He would have swept Ichigo off his feet, starting off slow at first by sending him gifts from a 'secret admirer' (gardenia, of course - Ishida knew all about flowers and their meanings). Then, after many carefully crafted haiku and letters of longing, he would have confessed his feelings face to face and presented Ichigo with a beautiful red rose, the symbol of passion, then sealed their newborn love with a kiss.

Then again, maybe it was for the best. Subtlety never tended to work very well on Ichigo. He would have been just as baffled by the flowers as he would by the poetry, and he’d never have even guessed there was some deep and hidden meaning behind them.

No, it had been easier and far less time-consuming to ask Ichigo outright. Although Ishida usually loathed the idea of being blunt, it had achieved the desired results. He'd gotten down on one knee and requested the honour of Ichigo's hand in marriage, and Ichigo had shrugged his shoulders and said "sure".

They'd spent the rest of the night consummating their union, but while Ichigo had rolled over and gone to sleep at around 2am the following morning, Ishida had chosen to stay awake and just watch him. He'd wanted to commit every single detail to memory before he had to leave, and so, he'd watched Ichigo while he still could.

Ishida had always enjoyed looking at Ichigo and there was no better time to indulge his favourite hobby than while Ichigo was sleeping. His face was relaxed and free from tension or irritation, and he looked so sweet in his slumber that Ishida could easily ignore his rather off-putting ability to snore and drool at the same time.

He didn't want to be parted from Ichigo so soon, but he had no other choice. He had to become stronger, for both of them. Besides, it was all terribly romantic to get married on such short notice, only to be separated the next day by a tragic series of events, just like Romeo and Juliet.

In any case, Ichigo had shown no sign of resentment. Actually, he'd acted like it was just another ordinary day for him, which again saddened Ishida slightly, but he soon cheered up again when he cast his mind to the future and what it might bring them.

Although Ichigo was the type of person who preferred to take each day as it came, Ishida preferred to plan everything out meticulously in advance. He didn't brood over something for days, he brooded for *years*. Ichigo had always accused him of thinking far too much, but thinking was one of the things that Ishida did best.

Ishida couldn't help wondering what would happen, though, and it didn't take much effort for him to slip inside his own little fantasy world. He pictured himself graduating from high school with Ichigo and attending the same university together. He even pictured the two of them carving out a career in the medical world.

Ishida would rather have made a name for himself in the world of fashion (after all, it would be an awful shame for God-given talents like his to go to waste), but he had to admit that it wouldn't be too bad to follow his father into medicine. Having Ichigo as his nurse would make things even better (especially if he got to wear one of those adorable uniforms) and Ishida smiled dreamily as he imagined them running their own clinic someday.

Then, when the time was right, they'd start a family. Ishida didn't know when or how, but he was sure that they'd be able to manage it somehow. Technology was advancing in leaps and bounds, and if they ever became really desperate to reproduce, they could always hunt down the captain of the twelfth division and force information from him about how to clone children.

If they did something like that, it would be like giving his father yet another two-fingered sign of rebellion. Repopulating the Quincy clan could only ever be seen as a good thing in Ishida's eyes, and he didn't even mind the idea of his offspring being tainted with Shinigami blood if it meant getting them to look as irresistibly cute as Ichigo had when he'd been a small boy.

It didn't matter that Ishida had no skills or experience at being around children, because he'd leave all the rearing duties to Ichigo. He'd grown up with two younger sisters, and he was used to caring for, worrying about, and mothering other people, and those were just three of the things that would make him into such a good parent. Ishida could handle the easier side, like crafting a cradle for their offspring, or knitting them clothes.

If he were really lucky, their children would inherit the better traits of both parents. They'd be smart and strong, not to mention high achievers, and they'd grow up to be extremely good-looking.

Then again, they could always end up with children who possessed both bad eyesight and bad temperament, and Ishida prayed fervently to whichever god was listening that this wouldn't be the case.

It was a little more difficult for him to picture how things might be further into the future, though. Ishida tried to imagine growing old together with Ichigo, and it was slightly less appealing to picture the two of them stuck in some nursing home or other while an elderly Ichigo tried to run him over with his wheelchair.

Ishida had always been pessimistic by nature, and it didn't take long for the sparkle to wear off of his fantasies as he began stressing out about other, more important matters. He knew he didn't have to worry about a little thing like death separating the two of them, but there was another 'd' word that Ishida feared.

Divorce.

Would Ichigo end up hating him at some point in their lives? They'd only just started getting along, after all, and Ishida was terrified that Ichigo might eventually become angry about making a huge commitment at such a young age. Would Ichigo grow tired of him? Would he grow bored? Would he stop wanting to have sex?

Ishida knew he was panicking, but now that he'd started, it was difficult for him to quit. Ichigo looked contented enough while he was sleeping, but what if he was dreaming about some other man? Worse yet, what if he was dreaming about a *woman*? There was no point for Ichigo in cloning his own children if he could just have them naturally with a girl, and he had so many of them to choose from, too. Orihime had always held him in high regard, and Ishida knew that Ichigo was close to Rukia and Tatsuki. It didn't have to be one of those three, either. It could have been Yoruichi or Kuukaku or even that crazy lesbian girl.

Ishida's paranoia only grew the longer he chose to dwell on this particular subject. He'd always been friendly with Orihime, but what if that sweet-natured smile was hiding something altogether more sinister? Ishida knew she could be slightly strange, and if growing up to be a giant robot was one of her career goals, it wasn't all that difficult to suspect her of having much larger ambitions, such as stealing Ichigo away for herself.

Maybe that was why the two of them had been getting along so well? Orihime had purposely been trying to make friends with him in order to lull him into a false state of security, and while Ishida was least expecting it, she'd make her move and use her feminine wiles in order to charm poor, clueless Ichigo over to her side.

It wasn't just Orihime who had an interest in Ichigo. Urahara was even more of a threat, simply because he was so forward and perverted. He'd always been far too touchy-feely with Ichigo for Ishida's liking, and he spent too much time poking and prodding him with that cane.

There was also Chad to take into consideration. He was Ichigo's closest friend, and the two of them seemed to share an uncanny ability to communicate without the use of words. Chad was also the only person who had a calming influence over Ichigo, and his spiritual energy was the only one that Ichigo had ever been able to pick up on.

Ishida suddenly found himself breaking into a cold sweat at the idea of Ichigo meeting his father. He'd always hated Shinigami just as much as Ishida himself, but Ishida could easily imagine him making an exception for someone like Ichigo. Even more worrying was the idea of Ichigo preferring older men. Would he rather have a partner with more experience?

Ishida watched soap operas and read romance novels, and he knew this sort of thing happened all the time. It didn't take much effort for him to picture an innocent Ichigo being seduced by his wicked father, and Ishida began to shake at the thought.

He was only snapped out of it when he felt Ichigo stirring beside him in the bed, but he was still shuddering when Ichigo opened his eyes in order to blink up at him.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked sleepily. "You're wheezing like an asthmatic. Did you have a bad dream or something?"

Ishida's lower lip quivered and he flung himself onto Ichigo with a sob. "Forget about what I said earlier, Kurosaki. I won't choose power over you. I'd rather remain weak forever if it means getting to stay by your side and keeping away any potential rivals!"

Ichigo patted him gingerly on the back. "Um... that's nice. You really don't have to start crying about it, though."

Ishida pulled himself away a little and stared down at Ichigo with shining eyes. "Inoue-san was right, you know. You really are kind. I'm glad I married you. It seems to have deepened our connection somehow, and I'm grateful for that. You woke up because you unconsciously felt my distress, right? You wanted to comfort me, didn't you?"

Ichigo looked awkward. "Actually, I woke up because I needed to pee."

It was hardly anything out of a Shakespearean romance, but Ishida still found it endearing. "Just swear that you'll never leave me, Kurosaki."

"I'm only going to the bathroom. I'll be back in a minute."

"Promise? Till death do us part?"

"Whatever. Now get the Hell off of me, you freak."

 

End.


	23. Twenty three

Title: Troublesome Times  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Bleach  
Pairing: Ishida/Ichigo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Mild shounen ai, humour  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

Written for 30_kisses. Themes used: #7 (superstar), #17 (kilohertz) and #18 ('say ahh...').

~~

When Ishida had woken up earlier that morning, he felt so bad that he'd actually stayed home from school for the first time in five years. He'd called in to let his homeroom teacher know that he wouldn't be turning up before going back to bed in the hope that he'd be able to sleep his illness off.

What he hadn't been planning on, however, was Ichigo pounding at his door later on that evening. He only knew who his visitor was when Ichigo had begun yelling for him to 'get off his lazy ass' and 'open the Hell up'. There was no mistaking *that* particular voice, after all.

It had taken a lot of effort for Ishida to drag himself out of his bedroom, and his mood only worsened when he finally answered the door.

"You look like crap," Ichigo said bluntly as he looked Ishida over.

"Thank you, Kurosaki," Ishida said through gritted teeth. "It's very kind to come all this way just to tell me that."

"No problem. So, are you going to let me in or what? I brought homework for you." Ichigo stepped inside without waiting for an answer, and then looked over at Ishida as if seeing him clearly for the very first time. "Hey, are you sure you ought to be wandering around while you're in such a state?"

"*You're* the one who dragged me out of bed in the first place," Ishida reminded him testily. "I'd still be sleeping right now, if it weren’t for you."

"Oh." Ichigo blinked. "In that case, go get some rest. I'll just leave your stuff here once I'm done."

"Done?" echoed Ishida. "With what?"

"Investigating. Now get your scrawny ass back to bed already."

"Hey, what are you planning to do?"

"I told you, I'm going to have a look around."

"Don't be so rude! How dare you enter people's homes without permission and then go snooping through their belongings?"

"Sheesh, I'm only going to check out the kitchen! It's not like I'm going to steal your valuables or anything!"

"Why would you want to look at the kitchen?"

"Duh. To see if you have anything to eat."

"I can't believe this! You really are something, Kurosaki. The last thing I'm going to do right now is feed you, so just-"

"Not me, idiot, *you*. When was the last time you ate or drank?"

"Uh... I had a little water earlier, and I haven't been hungry since last night."

"For God's sake, go to bed. I'll make you something before I leave."

"I... beg your pardon?"

"You're going to make yourself worse if you don't keep your strength up. Now move. You're in my way."

Ishida yowled indignantly when Ichigo gave him a swift kick up the backside, but Ichigo ignored him as he made his way inside Ishida's poky little kitchen. Although Ishida would have liked to see for himself what Ichigo was up to, just in case he ended up making a mess, or worse, breaking something, he was starting to feel light-headed again from standing for such a long period of time.

It was with great reluctance that he went back to bed, wincing every time he heard a slamming or banging noise coming from the other room. A few seconds later and Ichigo stuck his head around the door, looking irritated.

"Hey. Where's your food?"

"My food?"

"Yeah, the stuff that you're supposed to keep inside your cupboards and refrigerator. All I see is empty space and a bottle of milk that expired the day before yesterday."

"Kurosaki, I'm in no condition to fetch groceries right now. I used up what little energy I had left by answering the door. Do you really have to complain about my lack of usable ingredients at a time like this?"

"Then I guess it can't be helped."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Sit tight for a while. I'm going out shopping."

Ichigo was gone before Ishida could even muster a response, and he continued to stare blankly at the spot that Ichigo had just vacated long after he heard the sound of the front door closing behind him. Even when Ichigo returned fifteen minutes later, Ishida still couldn't quite believe what was happening.

"What are you spacing out for?" asked Ichigo irritably as he made his way back into the bedroom after finishing up his work in the kitchen, balancing a tray carefully in his hands before handing it over to the slack-jawed Ishida. "There's some sort of law that all sick people have to eat soup when they're recovering, so I made you some of that. It's chicken, so tough luck if you don't like that flavour." He pointed to the glass sitting by the side of the bowl. "Juice. Also good for sick people." Then he gestured to the bottle on the edge of the tray. "Aspirin. Good for headaches and for muscle pain."

Ishida stared down at the last item on the tray, an empty bowl. "And what about this?"

"That's a safety precaution. I brought it in case you puke your food back up again. It's better than messing up the bed sheets, right?"

Ishida's face turned sour. "How very thoughtful."

"I know. Now hurry up and eat before it gets cold, dammit."

Ishida reached hesitantly for his spoon and took a sip of the soup that Ichigo had made for him. It tasted surprisingly good, and even though Ishida hadn't been able to face even the idea of food earlier that morning, he found himself feeling hungry now that he'd gotten something into his stomach.

"So... how much do I owe you?" he asked.

"For what?"

"For the shopping. What did you buy?"

"Nothing special. Your refrigerator's looking normal again, though. It actually has stuff inside it now."

"Kurosaki, I'm serious! Tell me how much you spent so that I can pay you back!"

"How should I know? I always throw the receipt away without looking at it!"

"Well, at least give me a rough estimate so that I can work it out for myself!"

"Sick people shouldn't be worrying about this kind of stuff. Besides, I thought I told you to eat?"

"How can I do that when I know that I'm in debt to you? You've just done a really unnecessary thing, Kurosaki!"

"Quit blabbering. It's my money. I can do whatever the Hell I want with it." Ichigo snatched the spoon out of Ishida's fingers and held it up to his face. "Say 'ahhh'."

Ishida scowled at him and Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Fine, fine, whatever. Don't bother if you don't feel like it." He left the bedroom in order to retrieve his school bag, and he rummaged around inside it for a few seconds before pulling out an assignment sheet and a list of notes. "Here. Homework."

Ishida flipped through the notes, pausing when he reached the second page and smirking. "Do all people measure frequency in kilometres where you come from?"

Ichigo looked down to where he was pointing in confusion. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"I believe the answer is kilohertz. You might want to correct that before you hand your work back to the teacher."

"It's just one little mistake!" Ichigo protested, yanking the paper away from Ishida and scowling down at it fiercely. "Not everyone gets the same perfect scores that you do. Besides, I was too worried to concentrate properly!"

"About me?"

Ichigo's face was almost as red as his hair when he heard that, and he quickly jumped to his feet in order to point a finger at Ishida accusingly. "Like Hell I was!" he blustered. "Who'd worry about *you*?! You're just an idiot who doesn't mean anything to anyone! Now give me that!" He snatched the tray from Ishida and turned his back on him with a huff. "I'm going to wash up now, so you'd better be asleep when I finish. I'll punch you if you're not."

And with that, he stalked out of the bedroom.

Ishida watched him leave, trying not to look amused. He could hear Ichigo in the kitchen, making a lot of unnecessary noise as he cleaned up, and he wondered if Ichigo always had to be so loud with whatever he did. Ishida would have found himself being annoyed at any other time, but had to admit that Ichigo did have a certain something, in spite of his obnoxiousness.

Still, it bothered him to be indebted to a Shinigami, even if it was for something as small as a bag of groceries. He knew he'd have to pay Ichigo back somehow, and since he'd already refused to accept money, Ishida did the only thing that he could in this situation. He took out Ichigo's exercise book and made a start on doing his homework for him.

Ichigo wasn't happy at all when he returned and he crossed his arms over his chest with a frown when he saw Ishida carefully writing out the answers to question after question.

"What the Hell do you think you're doing?" he asked.

"Exactly what it looks like," Ishida replied absently.

"That's *my* book, you know! You'd better not be writing insults in there or drawing stupid doodles!"

"Why would I bother? It's much better to get a rise out of you when we're talking face to face. Now be quiet, otherwise I might end up making a mistake."

"A mistake for what?" Ichigo leaned over Ishida's shoulder. "What the... why are you writing out my answers? Are you so delirious that you mixed up our work by accident?"

"I'm not *that* sick, Kurosaki. Are you going to let me finish or not?"

"I can do it on my own, you know, and I'm not as dumb as you think! I actually get good grades, believe it or not!"

"I know."

"So why are you doing this?"

"Because it's the only way I can return the favour that you gave to me."

Ichigo looked taken-aback momentarily, and then shrugged. "The teacher will know that I cheated. Besides, my handwriting looks nothing like that."

"Again, I know. It's why I'm making sure to be messy on purpose."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, Kurosaki. It means nothing."

Ichigo grumbled something under his breath, but Ishida wasn't listening. He'd been feeling more alert ever since he'd eaten earlier, so it didn't take him much longer to finish up the assignment.

"There. Now we're even."

"Whatever." Ichigo took his book back and stuffed it into his bag. "You still look like Death warmed up. Are you going to fall asleep on your own or do I have to knock you out instead?"

"Actually, I've been feeling somewhat better," Ishida said haughtily. "I'll sleep, but only when I feel good and ready."

Ichigo scowled and leaned in suddenly, causing Ishida's eyes to widen in alarm at their proximity. His face had already been slightly flushed thanks to illness, but it brightened even more when Ichigo came close enough to kiss.

It was with some surprise on Ishida's part that Ichigo merely rested their foreheads together for a second or two before drawing away with an exasperated sigh.

"If that's true, how come your temperature is way too high?"

Ishida blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You're still sick, moron. I'll tell the teachers that you won't be coming in tomorrow, either."

"I already said that I felt better!"

"But you're still not completely over the worst yet. You'll infect the whole damn class if you turn up in this state."

"So it's all right for you to catch my illness, but not anyone else?"

"As if. Besides, I hardly ever get sick. It'll be fine."

"But if you *do* fall ill, it'll be my fault!"

"Relax! I'm not going to catch your dorky germs, so stop worrying."

"So it's okay for you to worry, but not for me?"

Ichigo twitched. "Who the Hell are you calling worried? Do I *look* concerned to you? Can you *see* such an expression sitting on my face right now?"

"No, you're just angry and defensive. You've never been very honest, Kurosaki."

"Like you can talk. Now stay at home like a good little boy, otherwise I'll set your apartment on fire."

Ishida raised an eyebrow questioningly. "And what should I do?"

"How should I know? Read a book. Watch TV."

"The only thing worth watching at this time is Don Kanonji's show, and even that's stopped being interesting since they started repeating it."

"Kanonji is an idiot."

"He's a very famous superstar! You should be more respectful of him!"

"Fine, fine, I'll be respectful, now quit bugging me already! Anyway, I'm going home, so find your own damned entertainment!" Ichigo slung his bag over his shoulder, and then hesitated when he saw Ishida's expression. "Oi... don't you *dare* tell me you're bored."

"But it's the first time I've had company in years!"

"*Years*? I always knew you were a loner, but sheesh..." Ichigo sat himself back down on the edge of the bed. "What about your family? Don't you have *anyone* to be with right now?"

Ishida avoided his gaze as he plucked at the sheets. "I have a father. We don't speak to one another, though."

"And that's it? No mother? No siblings?"

Ishida shook his head.

"Jeez. You really *are* a pain in the ass." Ichigo threw his book bag carelessly into a corner of the room before making himself more comfortable. "Fine, I'll call my old man later to let him know that I'll be spending the night here. Don't even think about pissing me off, otherwise I'll leave."

Ishida smiled slightly. "Just like you'll punch me and set fire to my apartment?"

"Damn right, so keep your trap shut and we'll be fine. Besides, I can't let you die of loneliness. It'd be on my conscience forever if I did."

"So you really *do* worry about me, then."

"Say that again and I'll kick you in the face."

"Kurosaki?"

"What now?"

Ishida paused. He knew he ought to be thanking Ichigo for all that he'd done, but for some reason, he found himself holding back. That was why he smirked and crossed his arms over his chest instead.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about how inferior Shinigami are to Quincy."

"Bastard! Are you making fun of me?!"

At least Ichigo could always be counted on to provide quality entertainment.

 

End.


End file.
